Defiance
by Cale-rey
Summary: "I will never worship an idol who is washed in innocent blood and cries of mercy." Priestess Lucy Heartfilia had always done what she thought was right, had never given in to the pressure of appeasing the royalty. Yet, when Natsu Dragneel returns to the Court of Alvarez after several years of bloodshed, he intends to end her defiance for good. Please heed the warnings.
1. Chapter 1

This story is rated M and contains multiple **_rape_** scenes, so if you cannot handle that, I would thoroughly suggest backing out about right now.

If you, however, go ahead with the idea of reading this twisted story which my head crafted, I hope you still retain the right frame of mind by the end of it because mine clearly wasn't. This is a short story so I suspect it shall finish in four chapters or something along those lines.

This is the only warning you get.

By the end of this month, however, this story will be complete, your patient wait for it will be appreciated.

If you begin reading this story, I request you to stay until the end.

Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima and thank God, it does honestly.

* * *

**_Chapter one_**

-•-•-•-•-

Crown Prince August, at the age of seventeen, walked alongside General Invel in the Corridor of the Royals.

He passed his father's portrait which had been detailed to the strand of his hair, August had honestly seen no replication of his father made better.

Next was his Uncle, who seemed a little more like himself in the painting that was done with him wearing his armour.

Then were the usual ones, the relatives he didn't care much for.

August fiddled with his locket as he came across one that was shrouded in a black cloth, August hadn't let his curiosity bother him much but the notion was lost on him really.

Shrouding the portrait was done rarely, in fact, August couldn't remember one instance where it had been done, this may have been the first time itself.

If a person of royalty had disgraced the Emperor or the country, through any means, they would completely be removed from the Corridor of Royalty, their portrait would be burnt to ashes leaving only literal residue behind and no hint of respect or grace for the said person. It was an act equivalent to being disowned.

Yet on this particular wall was the painting of someone who had disgraced the court or the King or both but had not been removed for some odd reason.

"Invel, remove this cloth."

The General frowned at the request as he looked at his Crown Prince.

"Your father would disapprove."

The Prince rolled his eyes.

"If you don't do it then I shall." August caught the ends of the cloth before pulling it away to reveal the mysterious portrait and he almost forgot to breathe when he did.

Blonde hair spilt over her dainty shoulders as she held her head up in force and conviction that flared with radiance, beaming in the kind of a grace that a royal could not possess and _oh_ but in her eyes was a pervading swirl of defiance, pure defiance.

She had the brilliance of the moon and her stars it would seem.

And when August looked down at the inscription, he understood why.

_Lucy Heartfilia, Priestess of the Midnight Skies._

General Invel critically looked at the painting,

"You know, Prince August, I have come across many women." He said as he admired the portrait, "frail, strong, annoying and charming. All kinds but I am yet to find a worthy comparison to the woman in this portrait."

"Truly?"

Invel let out a chuckle,

"She left a trail of disasters at her feet, storms if you had to ask."

August knew Invel well enough to know that the man never exaggerated so he must have meant it factually.

"What was she like?"

"In a word?" Invel raised a brow, "defiant."

-•-

_Ten years ago,_

_The Western Province,_

_Bothest Uprising._

His sword slashed through the last remaining leader of the rebellion.

Natsu Dragneel stared cruelly as the man begged for his life, weren't they warned? If they didn't give up this foolish protest against the rule of his brother, it was obvious he would come for them.

He was known for having no mercy.

Did they really think he'd spare them?

With one sleek move, he beheaded the leader and the blood of another death washed his soul.

The battle was over.

He was going home.

_Finally_.

-•-

"Oh did you hear?"

"Say, of what?'

"The return of our Warriors from the battle?"

"The one in the west?"

"Yes, that one. They return this evening."

"Is that so?"

"An enormous feast has been laid out for them. Everyone will be there."

"Even Lucy Heartfilia?"

Levy McGarden knew she should've stopped eavesdropping on the conversation between the palace ladies the moment she realised she was doing so but the mention of Lucy Heartfilia attracted her attention once again.

Levy was the new librarian and she had heard much in the reputation of Lucy Heartfilia. She had even seen her and the Priestess was the most exquisite beauty Levy had ever had the privilege to catch a glance of. So it was in truth that her perfection could rid one of any flaws completely. That was the view shared by almost every citizen of Alvarez.

"Yes, her included. Pretty little thing she is, don't you think so, Dimaria?"

"Fiesty as well. But- but I wonder, Milliana" Dimaria asked introspectively, she had been in court for a long time but she never knew to the exact kind of title the Priestess held, "what position does she hold in court?"

"Oh, she reads the stars, her position is the Priestess of the Midnight Skies," her friend replied, "the highest title a lady could receive, save that of the Empress."

"It's strange why she would be at the celebrations tonight."

"Dimaria, don't you understand?" The brunette waved mildly, "It would be impolite to be absent for the welcoming of our Warriors who have so valiantly fought."

"And for what, Milliana?" Dimaria asked as she leaned against the wall of the library. "There was no reason for such bloodshed. And not that she has any interest in such victories especially when it pertains _him_."

Milliana rolled her eyes, "I fear you have always been too soft."

"_Soft_? But there was no necessity of bloodshed because the rebels would anyway give in to us? What was the use of such barbaric means of slaughter?"

"Umm excuse me," Levy said meekly, attracting the attention of the two palace ladies.

"Oh Levy, hello." They greeted.

"Hello, Milliana, Dimaria. I'm sorry, I couldn't help but overhear the pair of you saying that it's strange Priestess Lucy attending today's function."

Dimaria narrowed her eyes, "You don't know?"

"Know what?" Levy asked, confused.

"She's new, Dimaria. Obviously, she wouldn't know." She shook her head as she continued, "I just thought it was strange that Priestess Lucy would even make an effort for tonight's event seeing how she despises him."

"Him?"

"Natsu Dragneel, my dear." Milliana said, arching a brow cattily at her, "didn't anyone tell you anything?"

Levy inclined her head in negative affirmation, clearly, no one had bothered, she had tried melting into the routine of the Palace but it had just been a week so it was obvious she needed more time.

"Isn't Natsu Dragneel our warrior though? Why would anyone hate him? Especially someone like Priestess Lucy."

Dimaria snorted in derision, "Honey, that's all outside-the-Palace talk, everyone has to be amicable with one another in front of the people."

"Could you imagine the scandal if the citizens of the Alvarez empire got to know that their loved Priestess and cherished Warrior couldn't be left alone for the fear they'd kill each other?"

"Kill?" Levy asked, widening her eyes. "Why is it that they despise each other?"

"Nobody knows. Apparently both of them never entertained anyone's queries if the topic revolved around the other." Dimaria said.

"I hope they have a secret romance going on. That would be such a fairy tale really." Milliana twirled a strand around her fingers.

"Milliana, don't you have somewhere else to be?" Dimaria said with a questioning stare.

"Oh well, I was supposed to go tend to Lady Irene. See you all later." She chirped and skipped her way through.

Dimaria simply shook her head as she sighed at her friend's naivety.

"You don't share her beliefs." Levy duly noted.

"For good reasons, Levy." She replied, running a hand through her golden hair. "Milliana thinks the world is nice through her rose-coloured glasses but it really isn't."

"What do you mean?"

"Natsu Dragneel is one of the most ruthless men you will ever meet on this land at least. He has a profound inclination to futile bloodshed and God forbid you to make a mistake in front of him, he will punish you in a way unimaginable."

"But isn't he the brother of the emperor? Isn't he supposed to be accountable to him?"

Dimaria chuckled loosely.

"Emperor Zeref would rather give up his crown than go against his brother, he favours him too much." Dimaria shrugged, "Nepotism runs through thin lines of the Court."

"So why does he hate the Priestess?" Levy asked as they sat down in the corner of the library.

Dimaria smirked as if she savoured what she was about to next.

"Because she's the only one with the gall to stand against him. His equal and his enemy in court."

Levy found it hard to wrap her head about it.

"Let me start from the beginning," Dimaria said when she noticed her incomprehension.

"Back then when Warrior Natsu was on his baseless murderous rampage, he would burn every village down with his sword, every single one which he deemed unworthy. One such village was the tribe of the Heartfilias, he killed them all without mercy."

Levy gasped lightly as feelings of horror arose in her, she had never thought of their cherished warrior to be that way.

"And then?"

"He found Lucy who challenged him in a duel and won by foul means."

"Foul means?"

"She cheated by throwing dirt into his eyes, blinding him temporarily." Dimaria shrugged, "and threatened to kill him until Emperor Zeref made her an offer to be the court's Priestess, the highest Lady of court Alvarez."

"And she accepted?"

"Yes, that's why she's here," Dimaria said, sceptically, "to Natsu Dragneel, she represents the one fight he lost. And he hates it. There's nothing that boils his blood more than her."

"But isn't it stupid to remain here?" Levy asked.

And now Damaria was confused.

"I don't get your meaning."

"Well, seeing as one almost killed someone, wouldn't being in that someone's presence be next to life-threatening for one?" Levy said while flicking her wrist to make her point.

"What if Warrior Natsu was looking for revenge?"

Dimaria let her words sink in, the girl had a point even she didn't understand why Lucy had even accepted Zeref's offer much less stayed around Natsu, giving him enough time to plot against her life. Well, maybe the Priestess was just loyal to a fault that way.

"Natsu Dragneel has always been looking for revenge, and I fear, one day he will have it by doing exactly what she did."

"And that is?" Levy prodded as Dimaria's face took a grim turn.

"Publically humiliate her."

-•-

Soft blonde locks that reached her mid-thighs were being braided as her helpers aided her in getting dressed into red transparent robes above her inner clothes that wound itself around her like a second skin.

Not that she really needed help, this was something she could do by herself but her helpers always insisted that they assist her in tasks like those.

Lucy tried hard to understand why she really was making an effort really.

For someone of _his_ standing.

The event hadn't been imposed on her to attend but when it had been announced a few days before in court, Zeref glared sternly at her, the Emperor in silence had clearly made sure that she knew not to make her absence known in this event.

Which was odd.

Because she was certain that the warrior did _not _want to see her.

A silver brassard adorned upon her right arm and of the same metal rested a plain choker around her neck which was essential to denote her position in court.

"Priestess, you are ready." Michelle Lobster, her maidservant said.

_Am I? _Lucy thought cynically.

She wondered what she would even do in a room full of people where no one cared about her well-being nor she theirs. They were nobles and she was in the end, a villager no matter what the stories of valour might be, her blood was yet inferior to theirs.

Lucy had never expected herself to attain a position in the court of Alvarez but fate was funny in those ways.

She was escorted to the courtyard where the banquet was being held, it had been decorated delicately in white and red colours to honour their warriors who had returned from a victorious battle. She leaned against one of the white columns and watched the kind of idiocy celebrated.

Lucy looked up to the stars, she hoped the souls of those that had passed in the battle rested their souls in peace.

Especially those who were innocent.

She prayed to the stars watching over her.

Her brown eyes fluttered open just in time to witness the soldiers striding in, headed by their leader.

As if he felt it in his bones, Natsu raised his gaze to meet hers across the room.

Lucy hoped he could see hate in them which was well met by a match of its own in his eyes and being as truculent as she was, Lucy moved her sights away from him. Though she didn't need to look back to know that he was still glaring.

Good, then. She could stay for just a while more, take in a drink and leave.

If Zeref was expecting anything more then she would surely give her condolences the next time they met.

Natsu briefly scowled at the woman before morphing his face in a grin as he embraced his brother.

"Natsu, it's been too long, my brother."

"Too long since I've been afar from home, I agree." He said in reply.

"And you've returned victorious nonetheless."

"So I have."

Zeref called out to the crowd, seeking their attention as every noble in the courtyard looked at him.

"My brother has come back from the war and he's brought victory to our doorsteps. This night I dedicate to the strength of him and his soldiers. May Alvarez never grow short of such gallantry."

The crowd cheered as they raised their glass in respect but Lucy kept hers down for she didn't share their excitement and had the defiance to show it. It's what Natsu reckoned he would always loathe from her, why couldn't she just accept his victory in any battle?

No, he didn't want her approval but her dissent at every step was annoying after adding the fact that she had defeated him in a duel by foul play.

And now she dared to look disappointedly at him?

_The audacity._

"Brother," Zeref said, bringing him close, "I need to leave to my quarters, it is time for my medicine."

"How has your health been, brother?"

"Not as well as it should be," Zeref said before coughing a bit, "but I shall recover."

"You better," He said with a smile, "after all you have to spar with me."

Zeref returned it in a blink before turning to leave.

"I hope you enjoy the celebrations, dear brother."

And Natsu hoped he would.

He sat down on the soft cushions as celebratory drinks went around and then there was a line of vibrant dancers and singers who twirled around, tapping their tambourines, dressed in their colourful veils but leaving nothing to the imagination.

Natsu felt himself relaxing, it really did feel good to be back.

Levy looked around the courtyard this was quite an interesting place inside the Palace with many interesting people. She had noticed the silent interaction exchanged between the Priestess and the Warrior and Levy wondered if she would be as biting as Lucy had the same fate fallen on her.

She reckoned no.

But anyway, Levy wished to be introduced to Lucy, she always did like her from afar and in spite of her reputation, she decided she would like to know her.

"Excuse me,"

Lucy looked up, startled that someone would try approaching her.

"Yes, may I help you with something?"

"Umm, I'm the new librarian Levy McGarden."

"Ahh yes," Lucy smiled charmingly, " I was supposed to make a trip to the library this week but work held me back."

"Was there a particular scroll or book you wished to see my Lady?"

"The ones that were written by King Igneel for the well-being of the people before his wife died."

"Oh those," Levy said, she hadn't seen that section of the Library yet and decided she would at her earliest convenience, "I would look for it and keep it aside for when you come the next time."

"That would be very kind of you, Levy." She smiled as they parted and Levy hoped she had given a good impression and by the way, Lucy looked at her as she left it would so seem.

Lucy searched for the emperor's face in the courtyard when she didn't find any sign of him, her heart did a happy somersault. She turned to leave the event in favour of returning to the Shrine when a voice called out her name.

It was Jason.

Lucy grunted inwardly and Natsu knew why, in fact, everyone did.

Jason was one of the most foolhardy soldiers the Alvarez army had ever seen. Natsu wondered often how he was still alive sometimes but decided that it was the beginner's luck lasting way longer than it really should. Dimaria almost slapped her forehead noiselessly because if one thought Levy was oblivious then Jason superseded it.

"Priestess Lucy! Why don't you come over here? Are you so enamoured by the bravery that you wish to admire us from far?"

Natsu almost choked on his spit as he maintained an uninvolved expression.

This man really was foolish huh.

"Of course, Jason," Lucy said, as she gracefully walked to him but maintained her distance.

"After all, what is the wisdom of the stars to the," she looked at Natsu as she sweetly coated her venom, "bloodshed of a warrior? I simply pale in comparison."

Natsu simply raised a brow at her, containing his anger. This wasn't a night for being affronted by her views. But of course, Jason was as heedless as someone living under a rock or a mountain for that matter.

"Oh Priestess, if you feel that way I must suggest a way to make you feel better." He grinned.

"Oh, will you now?" She asked, drily.

"Yes, of course. It's my duty as a soldier to make sure a Lady feels proper all the time."

"I have no doubt of it at all." Although it sounded like she did.

"To show how much you admire us, why not present us a dance?"

Lucy froze._ Her, a dance? _The Priestess never danced unless it was a very special occasion, like the coronation of the King, this by no means qualified anywhere near that.

"Jason," another soldier chided, "the Priestess dances only for the king's coronation."

"But Jeremy, listen to me," Jason said, "it is an auspicious event after all our leader, Natsu Dragneel has made the Emperor proud and its people, doesn't he deserve appreciation?"

"Well, he didn't ask for it, did he?" Jeremy said.

"Oh he's just being polite-"

And Lucy silently snorted, _polite, sure._

"-but everyone secretly wishes to see you dance, Priestess."

"Oh for God's sake, Jason."

"What? Jeremy, I'm just saying what everyone is thinking."

Natsu was pretty sure everyone didn't think that way but for once decided to humour Jason.

"It's not that he's lying." He admitted, making Lucy turn to his direction, "everyone secretly does wish to see you sway, Priestess, including I."

Lucy narrowed her eyes, what was he on about?

"But it would obviously be too much to ask for if I did ask for a dance, wouldn't it? Priestess?"

Was he challenging her or aggravating her? Or both?

"See!" Jason squeaked and honest to God, someday Lucy would take his own sword and make him taste the wrath of it.

"I am afraid my warrior's concern is proven right," she said, putting her hand on Natsu arm, lightly brushing it as he gave a side-glance to the touch.

"I cannot perform for much unless it is the Emperor's crowning, besides, I fear I will be too tipsy turvy with the drinks being served." Lucy smiled at Natsu, it might as well have been venom and it didn't take an idiot to understand then the tension between them but apparently Jason was much more of an idiot than anyone surmised.

"Or are you afraid of being a terrible dancer?"

"Jason!" Jeremy screeched at his brother, insulting the Priestess wasn't a lightly taken crime and what he was doing was beyond it.

"It's nothing of that sort, Jason." Natsu said, slyly with a tone of mockery as he looked at her innocently, "it's just that the Priestess is _very_ tired."

Lucy clenched her jaw subtly.

"A shame really then." Jason shrugged.

She withdrew her hand as she would upon touching sewer waters, this was a question upon her honour. It certainly couldn't go unanswered.

"Very well then. I suppose I can make an exception."

Natsu was impressed,_ would she now?_

"Michelle, could you please get my tambourine?"

"As you wish, Priestess."

"Ha! Cheers to you, Priestess. It is truly an honour to our lot." Jason grinned and Natsu made it a point to actually appreciate the soldier, for he made the stubborn, head-strong Priestess do an act against her will, even _he_ couldn't do that.

"Please dance for my pleasure." He whispered to her as she scowled at him through the corner of her eyes as he sat down, more than intrigued awaiting for Michelle to bring her tambourine.

And when the servant did, she handed it over to Lucy who had removed her braids in favour of a simple high pony. Lucy removed her first transparent robe almost earning a small surprised gasp from the old, conservative ladies around but if she cared, she didn't show.

The bonfire at the centre reminded her of her home in the village and it made her feel joy in spite of the incredulity of the affair.

So happy it shall be.

She was doing this for herself rather than anyone else.

Natsu sat down as he witnessed her taking the tambourine, she whispered something up to the stars and the moon, a prayer probably.

As the music began playing and she glided gracefully from place to place, her fingers touching as her breasts bounced with orange hues lighting on her skin, reflecting the deepest desires of the fire. Natsu licked his lips as heat consumed him.

Moving in dazzling grace, her hips rolled with the rhythm, her sensuality sauntered out as her body had turned into liquid and Natsu was a man parched. He drank her sight with concealed thirst and just as quickly as she had begun she finished it with the tap of her tambourine.

Her maidservants rushed in to robe her back into those transparent clothes.

"Marvellous," Jason said. And for once, everyone agreed with him.

"I must retire to my Shrine and of course," Lucy said staring at Natsu as if he was beneath her, "I hope you did enjoy, my Warrior, for this meagre display."

She floated out of the courtyard and for the rest of the night, no dancer could compare.

-•-

"You had danced well, Priestess," Levy said the next day as Lucy went over the scrolls, parchments and books of the ancient kind.

"Oh, thank you. Not by my consent although."

"Oh yes, Jason has always been -and I fear- will always be an oblivious idiot," She remarked and Lucy awarded it with a chuckle.

"Thank you for these books I was looking for them. May I please send my helpers to take them from you?"

"Oh, Priestess, must you really ask?"

"It is your library after all." Lucy smiled before bidding her goodbye and walking out of the library, somehow, the librarian newly appointed was much better than the previous one who was rather rude to Lucy at every single visit.

It was a clear-cut way of showing that her presence was not appreciated here.

Not like she didn't already know that.

Lucy had skipped court today, just to spite Zeref and besides, she would like to mentally prepare herself before getting used to seeing his brother in court as well since he was not going to any battle or war anytime soon.

She hummed lightly to the tune of the moon although it was still day time as people stared at her strangely. Was it really her fault if the dark of the night reached out to her even when the light still showed?

Lucy went into the gardens, springing lightly, to admire the flowers that bloomed around this time of the year and narrowed her eyes when a scent furthest from the floral kind hit her.

"Those that bleed on battlegrounds tend to be delicate in gardens, I've heard them say," Lucy said aloud as Natsu leaned against one of the columns.

"Have you?" He said as his hands stroked the flowers.

"But it's obviously false. Since your kind still exists." And Natsu snapped the flower bud from its stem.

"What a welcome indeed." He said dryly, "it's almost to say that you're unhappy to see me return."

"See you return alive that is." Lucy corrected, tenderly letting her hand graze over the flowers but as quickly as she had said that her wrist was snatched away to be pulled by a hand holding it in a firm clasp.

"Know your place, woman, you defeated me in foul play." He snarled, black eyes flaring in indignation.

"My strength surpasses yours by the greatest to the lowest."

"Yet," Lucy echoed, ignoring the pain that came from him clutching her tightly. "you still _lost."_

His figure towered over her, caging her in his arms as he stared down at her in due wrath but nothing shook her, the defiance in her eyes was still bright as the day he had encountered her.

"All because you refused to bow to me," Natsu said, close to her ear in an embittering tone.

"Gods and monsters of men have worshipped me what makes you think you can resist?"

Lucy turned to him as she stared at him directly.

"I will never worship an idol who is washed in innocent blood and cries of mercy." She managed to push him off.

"Then I will force you to."

Lucy gave a chuckle.

"You can try, your Highness." and she added, "to fail at the end of it."

Lucy left the gardens, delicate steps sounding her leave as Natsu clenched his fists. Ever since she had assumed the title of Priestess in court, Lucy made it no secret that she despised him and his bloodshed in spite of the glory it brought to the Alvarez Empire, she was such a nuisance to bear with. Defying laws and cases in the court, throwing mean and subtly hinted jabs at him and executing herself in a way where nothing threatened her, even if it did, that did not in any way deter her way of grace.

She feared no man or woman in court and was loved by the people.

Which was why Zeref couldn't get rid of her easily. She helped the slaves as the first thing she did when she came, Lucy was simply just _good_. They adored her as she climbed the ranks and won the hearts of common people outside the walls of the castle.

Too intelligent for her own good and blessed with the beauty of the moon that bore her skin.

Lucy was _perfect_.

And he despised it.

Because she was his equal, not by marriage, not by class but by simple defiance.

And he hated the way he couldn't control the wilderness she was born from, in battles he could, he could hold his sword to the neck of a man and make him a puppet to his fingers.

But with Lucy?

It was futile.

Every time he caught her, she slipped away leaving a mark of his failure to capture her.

_No more,_ he thought darkly.

She would belong to him, sooner or later.

And when she would,

He would break her.

Piece by piece.

-•-

Levy realised maintaining the royal Library was more difficult done than said.

The enormous scrolls falling off from the cart that was filled with books, parchment paper, quills and ancient scrolls which were of more worth than Levy's life. _The cart would have to be taken by someone else, _she decided.

"Oh Levy, how wonderful it is." Milliana screeched quite literally from nowhere meanwhile giving the bluenette the scare of her life.

"For Goodness' sake, Milliana!" Levy said, keeping her hand on her chest to slow her heart down.

"You scared her, Milliana." Dimaria said in chiding tone, "you could be a little more gentle not everyone is made of stone here."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright, so what has got you in such elation, Milliana?"

"When is she not?" Dimaria remarked, rolling her eyes and Levy agreed.

"Listen to me, the contest is to commence today," Milliana stated, dancing and twirling.

"What contest?"

"The one which happens once in a decade,_ Bellicus, _it is a tournament held once in a decade to test the resilience of all and every man or woman who can fight in brutal strength to win the tournament."

"And what's the prize?" Levy asked.

"That the Emperor will grant him anything the victor asks for." Milliana hummed as she played with her purple bracelet, those wear customary for the ladies who resided in the Palace.

"Even the kingdom?"

"Obviously not, Levy! How foolish would that be?" She responded disapprovingly as Dimaria giggled in good humour.

"As foolish as it is the idea of giving anything one wishes for." Levy reasoned.

"True." Dimaria agreed, "but Emperor will give the victor anything he asks for provided it does not harm the well-being of the kingdom or his Kingship."

"Yes but I don't think the victor would ask anything that compromising from his brother."

Levy furrowed her brows.

"Is Warrior Dragneel taking part?"

"Of course, he is." Milliana said sighing dreamily, "but have you seen him? What a dashing figure indeed. I wish I was the woman in his arms but his sights are always secured on one person."

Levy appeared confused yet before she could voice her dilemma on who the woman was, Dimaria answered her doubts.

"A pity really," The golden-blonde stated with a wry smile. "For the women of the Palace would catch the stars readily for him and-"

"-he reserves his sights only for her who reads them instead." Milliana completed

Oh, they were talking about the Priestess.

"Lucy Heartfilia isn't as bad as everyone implies." Levy reasoned.

Dimaria looked at her as she exchanged a curious expression with Milliana.

"No one ever said she was bad, Levy," Milliana said, her tone impartial for once, "in fact the right opposite, she's quite literally the only person in court with purity in her heart."

"So why is she so disliked?" Levy asked.

Dimaria smiled, the sad sort of smile which one gave after knowing the bitter truth.

"Levy, understand this," She asserted.

"Sometimes when one is as inherently good as Lucy Heartfilia, people try to dim the light out because they could never even hold a candle to such a rare quality. Lucy possesses a heart of gold and her soul is pure of blemishes."

"You'll find that lacking in everyone within the court, including the Emperor himself."

"The Emperor as well?" Levy questioned, taken aback.

"Yes. Why do you think August has never been taken to his mother?"

Levy widened her eyes. _The rumours were true then? _She realised as she recalled the story, that the Emperor had impregnated a Palace Lady? And in order to protect himself from the scandal that would arise, they locked her in deepest pits beneath the Eastern tower made where no person inhibits, it was called the Ankhseram.

No one ever saw the woman again. It was said she was trapped in a tower for decades to come.

Goodness, was madness a family trait?

"You seemed to have figured out," Dimaria said, kindly.

"But you mustn't judge them harshly, Levy." She said, "They were brought up as orphans and after Igneel's death they didn't have anyone."

"So what?!" The blunette asked, scandalized, "like it justifies anything, cruelty done is still cruelty done no matter how many reasons you give, in the end, it is _wrong_."

"But he is our Emperor, Levy, and we love him with all his flaws unconditionally."

Levy felt like gagging.

And even when the evening came, she still couldn't help feeling like a pit had been had sunk her stomach. The contest went on for three days but she went only on the last day because Dimaria and Milliana requested her presence.

Levy pretended to have forgotten about the conversation but it had reduced Dimaria and Milliana's respect in her eyes. To love someone so cruel unconditionally simply because he was the Emperor? Even if there was good within the court of Alvarez, it would become tainted.

It was an old saying but it rounded against Levy's head like the waves of the ocean, in a profound fashion and in the voice of her grandmother who once told her- _Levy, history does not repeat but it often rhymes. _

She hadn't understood her grandmother very well but the more she grew, the more it made sense to her.

Levy shook herself from her daze and concentrated on the victor of the tournament who the crowd cheered onto as he came into court. Only this once, she was allowed inside the court with the rest of the Palace ladies.

With pride flaring his eyes as toil and dirt from winning rubbed across his muscled chest, Natsu Dragneel grinned at his brother across court who returned it.

_Mirrors have seldom known to not reflect,_ Levy thought with disgust.

"Hello, brother."

"Zeref," He said.

"So what is it that you wish for, brother?"

And everyone found it hilarious to laugh at the little joke crack, Natsu was the brother of the Emperor.

He had everything, what could he possibly want?

But they waited patiently, Levy looked for the Priestess but it appeared she had skipped court today. And she knew why, because honestly, it was obvious he was to win and why would she stick around to see that.

"Or rather who, brother." Natsu gently corrected and Levy gasped almost audibly.

_He couldn't._

"Do you wish someone to be yours, Victor?"

They couldn't give people as a form of prizes, people weren't cattle but it seemed like Levy had been living a lie for a long time in her life.

"Yes."

"Ask away then, they shall be yours to keep."

_To keep?!_ Levy screeched in her head.

And as if her trepidation was right, Natsu whispered a name.

She waited for an objection in court, for someone to raise vocal rejection, anything in the name of God.

When no one raised a voice of dissent, Levy almost stood to her feet and before she could voice her concern Dimaria clasped a tight hand around her mouth and pulled her down.

"It is granted."

It was diabolical.

Sure.

But almost everyone in court agreed that Lucy Heartfilia had it coming for a while. Natsu exited the court as he went in search of his prize, to do God knows what but it could not have been anything short of evil.

Levy hoped for the well-being of her friend but even she knew it was all wishful thinking

-•-

She had finished closing the shrine for the nightly hours as she stepped into her carriage which took her to her quarters where she stayed. Honestly, it was too big of a place. The architectural columns and arches only succeeded in making her feel more lonely.

Lucy reached her quarters and found it surprising when there was no one to greet her, Michelle was nowhere to be seen.

_The contest_, her mind bleakly reminded.

Of course, her helpers had gained her permission but wasn't it over yet? Really if she knew Dragneel half as well as she did then he'd rather finish his victory the quickest to celebrate whatever it is that he wanted as a prize.

She entered the dark quarters and head straight to her room.

Daintily, Lucy pushed the heavy doors apart to the pitch-black room. Instinctively, she went to the curtains, drawing them to tying them to the corners with the strings.

The moonlight entered the room and Lucy knew, without a shadow of a doubt. She felt the presence of someone in her room as soon as she headed to the curtains.

"It is called impertinence to enter the room of a woman without her permission, especially if said person is a part of the Royal Court."

"Then impertinent I am."

Lucy turned around to face Natsu who seemed to be pleased with himself, marks from the tournament were still fresh on his body which in all rights begged the question.

_Why was he here?_

"What are you doing here?" She asked, plainly.

"I won the tournament."

"So you've come here to what, gloat?" Lucy snorted with derision.

"Not in the sense but to inform actually."

Lucy raised a brow.

"To inform what?" She asked, taking the stick holding her hair in a bun out to twirl between her fingers.

"Of what my prize is."

That made her narrow her eyes as she looked up at him, glimmering in the dark.

"Brother said I could take a person,"

Lucy narrowed her eyes, _there was no possible way._

"So it was obvious I had been pondering about it for a long time," he said, playing with the sheets on her bed, "and of course I chose-"

"-don't," Lucy said, dread overshadowing her heart.

"Don't say it."

Natsu resumed to his full height as she dropped the stick.

"I am going to say it regardless, I asked him-"

"-I said don't say it! Do-"

"-for you, Lucy Heartfilia." He stood in front of her.

"I am not a piece of land that you can simply wish for and it's yours." She spat out, moving away from him.

"But you are my prize." He said and she could hear the joy in his voice as she continued to make her way to the door.

"I worked hard on the grounds, Lucy, and now," He said, "and now I've come to collect and claim."

The doors weren't opening, Lucy's face crumpled in raw emotion, why weren't they opening?

"They aren't going to come for you, Priestess. Everyone knows."

She turned to look at him in horror as she realised he was right, _but if not the doors, _she thought with hope as she started for the balcony, surely, she would be able to make the jump.

But before could even step out in the light of the moon, an arm wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her back. Lucy immediately reacted by elbowing hard which loosened his grip on her as she ran into the balcony but he managed to pull a fabric of her robes.

It caused her to trip and fall to her knees, Lucy rolled to her back and found him looking at her.

The look in his eyes, the lust and the need to claim. It shook her mind that the Warrior could even think of something like that and for the first time, unconcealed panic flashed her eyes.

It gave him satisfaction.

"I should've expected struggle from you." He said, advancing towards her as she hurried to her feet only to be pulled back.

"Leave me." She pushed him away as he stopped her hand from doing so.

"Do you regret it now?" Natsu asked, content with her protests. "defying me at every step you could."

"You took my family away from me!"

"It was indemnity."

"You just wanted to kill everyone in that village because we didn't honour you at your entrance, we didn't even know it was you!"

"Your father, Judas Heartfilia, was a disgraceful rebel-"

Lucy raised her free hand and slapped him right across his face before he could even finish.

"Do _not,_" Lucy warned with ire in her eyes, "take my father's name you _filth_."

Natsu was confounded, no one had _ever_ struck him. His hand went up to massage the area scorching in heat. Lucy noticed the change in his face, it had turned darker if it was possible and the moon above them hid in clouds, sparing no light as she took a step back in care.

"They say blood never lies." Natsu uttered, prowling towards her as she stepped back, "I reckon it's true for all your conduct is like that of a village girl after all."

Her violence had ignited something in him, a raving monster who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted and oh how fiercely he desired her.

Natsu stumbled forward, "All those years I've watched you and you've never surrendered. Maybe this will teach you to respect those superior to you."

He caught her wrist and dragged her as her to where her nightly cot, Lucy screamed and thrashed, anything she could to make this beast stop but his strength was greatly intimidating to her own.

He threw her on the bed and Lucy stared at him terrified at the man she had first duelled with, this was not him. She had never imagined him to behave so,_ so animalistically._

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because you belong to me. _That_ has always been your fate."

Tears ran down her cheek, as she realised, nothing would stop him. He wanted to claim her, he would.

"I will never belong to you."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, pet." He climbed atop her, holding her hands in strict custody before Natsu dipped down, taking in her alluring scent and licked her skin before biting down on it to mark what was his.

His breath took hers away, the heat of his body made her shiver as he felt her up.

Lucy clenched the sheet underneath her.

She turned her head to the side she saw the moon witness what he committed on her as she lost her voice to the dead of the night. Her robes were destroyed to bits as he tasted every part she had been privy to, his fingers leaving dark marks on her dainty skin with multiple bruises that had already been laid to rest upon her flesh.

Natsu penetrated within her with the agility he knew, mixing their scents with what seemed as bitter reluctance. It was a sweet reward to him, for years of loathing boiled down to this and he was finally pleased of it.

Control over her felt lovely.

It lasted till morning light was shone, he didn't stop until he felt the warmth of the sun's heat hit his back and only then he took his weight off her. Staring at her as if he admired the canvas he had just ruined.

"Leave." Her voice growled though it sounded with cracks as fresh trails wet the sheets beneath her

"I will return, this is not the last time my hands will find your flesh."

And he left with his robes properly kept as he had managed to destroy her world at a single glance.

Lucy lay within her broken skin and torn flesh, he had desecrated her and he would do so again. She lost connection with the world outside, feeling a strange form of abandonment come over her, the kind which she knew only when her parents were taken away by the fire.

The same fire which took her now.

-•-

Lucy couldn't remember how long she laid there.

She really couldn't feel, the numbness had taken it all and she lay naked on the bed, cold as the day she had step foot into this _blasted _palace.

"My Priestess! Where are you ?!" Michelle's voice echoed in the room as she came to a halt before gasping heavily.

Tears presently made way as she wept for her mistress and her form, the servant had heard of what Warrior Dragneel wanted and she swiftly went to inform her Priestess but they trapped her, threw her in a room below as they heard the screams of their mistress batter against their hearts.

Lucy didn't feel anything until her skin met warm waters in her bath. It was only then she was finally aware of her body, the scourge of the water against her battered flesh, she dismissed her servants and though they seemed unwilling of it, they left.

She tried to scrub his marks away from her flesh. The water struck her bruises and they hissed but she embraced the joy of pain to numb her memories.

His hands around her, asserting their rights and teeth-baring down at her neck.

His warmth that burnt her skin and Lucy felt heat pool around her belly.

Lucy jerked awake,_ what was this?_ Had her body responded to his touch? Without her consent? She clenched her hands as she brushed more vigorously to remove the dirt, to remove his wounds. Lucy scratched the skin he had marked to tear it away from her flesh and blood

Why did the feeling not go away?

She felt blurs covering her vision as tears mixed with the water. Lucy shook her head as she stepped out of the bath.

"Why, mother?" She asked to the moon at her absence.

Delicately, she made her way back to the room as her servants waited patiently to dress her but Lucy fell unconscious the moment she slipped into her first robes. It was at nightfall her eyes awoke again to the whimper and soft wailing near her bed.

She looked beside her to find Michelle weeping at her side.

Noticing her mistress was awake, she stiffened, "My apologies if I woke you up, Priestess."

"It's alright. Michelle." She softly voiced out, her body aching sorely.

"What grieves you, my child?" Lucy asked, reaching her hand out to gently pat her head.

She looked up to Lucy and the blonde almost flinched at her blotched face, swollen from crying.

"Priestess, we weren't-" she breathed a sigh of regret, "we couldn't protect you."

Lucy's brown eyes softened to pools of honey in spite of the pain that racked her body and soul.

"It's alright, love." She said kindly wiping the tears away, "it's hardly your fault."

"My fault? Priestess, had it not been for us wanting to see the tournament, we would've been with you-"

"-and what? He would hurt you all to get to me, I'd rather you wouldn't have offered any resistance."

"But my Priestess,"

"Hush now," Lucy said, "It is not any of your faults. You did everything you could to prevent this and that alone is enough for me."

When she touched Michelle's arm however, she hissed in pain and Lucy narrowed her eyes at the reaction but she was still too weak to pursue her curiosity.

"Priestess, do you wish for anything?"

And oh, if Lucy wanted anything Michelle would've plucked the very gems from the deepest caves of the Alvarez realm to see her Priestess back to the shine she had. Her eyes dimmed at the light outside, her voice was duller than Michelle had ever heard and deep in her heart, she knew her beloved Priestess would never be the same again.

"Nothing at all."

-•-

She stared at the ceiling, feeling the blithering ice reach her. Her eyes rested nonchalantly at the moon that seemed to turn away from her, she flinched when she tried to stand. A throbbing pain stretched across every nerve of her body as she took little steps to reach out her balcony.

"Mother," Lucy called out quietly to the moon.

The rays of lesser light began to shine on her wounds, tears slipped past her control and Lucy found a sob quelling at the back of her throat. The pounding in her thighs made her unable to stand as she fell to her knees.

"Mother, he will come again." She said softly as mourned the loss of her innocence.

"Mother, he does not know mercy nor it him, he won't leave me until I belong to him."

She dropped to sit on the cold ground as the moon rays and her stars wept at her state.

The lights continued to shine on her scars, the ones hidden by her transparent robes now shredding, fingerprints marred her flesh in an alarming form of desecration.

"It is his Palace, mother, he's the brother of the Emperor. The next immediate _King_ in line should Emperor Zeref falter." She said, looking up to high skies and the clouds felt alarmed at her pain. They moved away to southern corners as the starry skies sat still.

"He will not stop and he will not let me go."

And that was the raw truth, breaking her resolve before her a fresh trail of tears made its way because Natsu was who he was and he always got what he wanted.

Oddly, however, in spite of the tears, in spite of the pain, a distinct will was built with the fortitude of stardust found Lucy's heart as she looked back at the sky.

"But mother I shall _never_ belong to him."

Lucy stood her feet withstanding the agony that came along.

"I pledge in the name of the stars under which I was born," She gritted her teeth tenaciously, "I will never belong to him."

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated and constructive criticism is valued. Including grammatical errors, please. Also, the '_history doesn't repeat. .it rhymes_' quote was by Mark Twain, pretty cool dude if you had to ask me. And yeah, **_this story isn't a romance_**, at all. What I'm going to portray is something many people go through. Modern or ancient, the situation today seems the same. Anyway, until next time.

Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter two_**

-•-•-•-•-

Levy walked quickly as soon as she stepped out of the carriage to the quarter of the Priestess the very next day.

"Priestess," She called out as she was let into the room.

"Hello Levy," Lucy said, simply lying on the bed even though it was past noon.

"I was not allowed in yesterday and I completely understand why," She said compassionately, before sitting at the end of the bed as Lucy regarded her in some dim fashion.

"Don't." Lucy warned her, "if you have come today to offer your sympathy, I do not want it. You shan't look at me any different than the day we met, if so please return to your quarters."

Levy stayed silent before nodding.

"Are you coming to court today, Priestess?"

"Of course, I will, why wouldn't I?" Lucy asked, stark indifference blowing over her eyes, grating her pain under the grind of her teeth and the crease of her brow.

She would _not _appear anywhere weak in Court because of this, because of _him_.

"I see," Levy said, "Is there anything you'd like me to do?"

"Nothing except for removing volumes of Philosopher Archiledes the next time I frequent the library."

"As you wish, my Priestess."

At that moment, Michelle entered with a tray of morning tea for both of them.

"How are your wounds, Michelle?" Levy asked as Lucy furrowed her brows as if she had just awoken.

"I beg your pardon? What do you mean wounds?"

Michelle froze in her spot before she turned to her Priestess slowly.

"I heard that when the maidservants tried to come back to you to protect you, they were ordered to stay in position but Michelle was struck thrice with a whip only because she had dared question the authority of the Warrior," Levy said before slowly realising that Michelle had not divulged Lucy in with any of those happenings.

"Michelle, is this true?" Lucy asked.

The blue-eyed woman nodded.

"Show me." She demanded and Michelle albeit reluctantly removed her first commoner's robe and the blonde gasped at the very visible marks on her arm.

_Had they tried to cleave flesh from bone? _Lucy thought, mortified at the wounds suffered by her dear friend.

"There was no need for them to whip you at all, they could have simply restrained you." She snarled through her teeth as anger boiled her vision.

"Priestess, it's alright." She said trying to allay the discomfort.

"Over my gravestone," Lucy snarled.

Michelle was her friend, almost a sister, she would be damned to hell and back if she let any hurt come on the ones she vowed to protect, no matter how fruitless her own state was.

She was in a position where she could protect others, it would be foolish to let it down simply because she could not protect herself.

"Michelle, take my robes out I wish to wear black today," Lucy said, standing on her feet.

"Your wish is my command, Priestess." Michelle bowed before hurrying to get her robes out.

"Priestess, is your body in the condition to walk-"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at Levy as she stood on her feet causing her to stop immediately before Michelle brought her robes.

After she was dressed, Lucy gathered her skirts before entering the carriage with Michelle by her side and Levy wondered what kind of stone does one have to be made of to ignore their own suffering in the favour of others.

Palace ladies moved in surprise, out of her way as Lucy entered the court in billowing black robes moving like liquid against her skin.

Every single soul paused to look up in surprise as she strode in with grace and power like a deity in her own right and perhaps she was because how else could she muster such strength?

Zeref leaned back in his throne with amusement.

"Priestess," He said, eyes glinting at being entertained.

"You are late for courtly hours."

"My apologies, Your Highness," Lucy said, bowing to him lowly and ignoring the weakness in her flesh. She didn't even bother looking at his side where his brother and her perpetrator stood just as surprised as those who were in court.

"Any reason that can account for your tardiness perhaps?" He asked, cocking his head to the side as if he didn't already know what happened. As if everyone present in court didn't already know what had happened.

Lucy held her head high as she regarded him at the fountainhead of the court.

"There has been a crime committed." She stated bluntly.

"On what grounds?" Zeref asked as Natsu wondered if she was going to accuse him in open court. She couldn't be that silly, could she? Of course, none would come to her aid and launching a case against him in court would only result in her being thrown into the dungeons for such a blasphemous allegation.

"My helper, Michelle has been struck upon thrice because she refused to obey an order."

"Has she?"

Michelle on cue removed the side of her robes a little to the left as her arm showed three blatant whip marks.

"And whose order was it did you refuse to obey?"

Michelle bowed her head down in respect before saying, "Warrior Larcade."

Natsu stiffened at the mention of the captain who worked under him.

"Warrior Larcade struck her thrice even though the first time, Michelle understood and stopped struggling as vigorously. There was no reason for such an occurrence to happen again." Lucy said firm on her grounds, Michelle had told her this when they were in the carriage.

"But Priestess, it is merely a whip mark." Zeref reasoned.

Lucy chortled in derision, "My dear King, _surely_, you're not implying that the crime done, in this case, which is beating and humiliating a woman is justified if it is only a mere whipping." Her eyes then subdued in a shrewd glow, "That would not qualify for the air of justice served in the Court of Alvarez, would it?"

Zeref's jaw tightened at the wit she had presented, candidly questioning his judgement.

"Of course not, Priestess." He said, neutrally, "is there a punishment you have in mind for such a crime?"

Lucy blinked, appearing to look confused while Natsu furrowed his brows at the blonde, _what the hell was she playing at?_

"Punishment?" She said astonished, "Oh no my King, Michelle here has already forgiven the Warrior of his crime."

Zeref was about to speak again.

"_However_," Lucy interrupted sharply, "One says that a simple apology would go a long way."

The black-haired Emperor raised a brow.

"You wish for the Warrior responsible to apologise? Is that all, Priestess?"

Lucy smiled, sweetly.

"To Michelle, yes, it would appear so."

"Alright then bring Warrior Larcade at once." King Zeref ordered his men.

"Your Highness," Ajeel, another captain under Natsu, implored.

"Warrior Lecarde is not present at the moment, he has been sent for the Siege of Berens."

Zeref looked back at Lucy before smiling at her politely though even she knew he didn't mean it.

"It would seem that your justice will be restored at a later date, Priestess."

The blonde straightened her robes before she looked at the Emperor.

"Or it could be today and now itself, Your Highness if you will it."

Zeref screwed his expression, disliking the confidence she moved with.

"Perhaps the one responsible for Warrior Lecarde could apologise on his behalf, after all, it is _simply_ an apology." Lucy shrugged carelessly.

_The one responsible?_ Zeref thought confused before following her line of sight that ended on his right, on his brother who had clenched his hand into a fist.

"Surely," Lucy said stepping forward, directly addressing his brother, "Warrior Natsu would have no qualms apologising for the misconduct of his Warrior who serves under him."

Zeref tightened his jaw, this woman knew how to play her cards indeed; making Natsu apologise publicly in court for a mistake was something Zeref hadn't eve tried personally.

But he couldn't deny her request simply because she was the Priestess and by the virtue of her position she was as high as a Lady could get in court.

But his brother had never made a mistake that would call for an apology, neither of them had now that he thought about it, pride governed them in that matter of their disposition.

"Or do you, _my Warrior?_" She said and any fool who couldn't detect the vitriol in her voice was blind and deaf.

The Court looked at Natsu as all eyes watched their exchange, they thought it would tame her, his fire but to all extensivity, they had been marvellously proven wrong.

Anticipation hung on a thin thread.

The pink-haired man smiled, almost baring his canines, almost as if it was forced.

"Of course, I would," Natsu said, stepping down from his place and approaching her. Lucy observed him as he marched to her before he stopped in front of her servant.

"My apologies, Michelle, for the conduct that my Warrior has presented to you." He said, loud and clear but Lucy could almost hear the grind of his teeth. It almost made her raise her head with a visible smirk at him.

One which was clear as the day to him as he continued, "Would you please forgive his brutal markings?"

"I would, Sir." Michelle curtsied politely.

"Is that enough, Priestess? Has your justice been served?" Zeref asked, intrigued by the exchange.

"To every article, my King." Lucy bowed low to him before resuming her stance.

"I must thank you too, Warrior Dragneel," She turned to him with amused eyes brightly sparkling at him in irony, "For mercy has never been a friend to a Warrior, I was _nearly_ sure it wouldn't be in you either. You surprise me with your little antics."

Natsu forced a smile upon his features, "I aim to please, my Priestess."

Lucy inclined her head slightly as she moved right past him.

But not before a slight touch directed at the side of her waistline caught her unguarded.

"Prepare yourself."

The dark voice hushed in warning as she proceeded to climb the stairs to sit on her throne as High Priestess, crossing her legs in nonchalance while an alarm was born in her heart as daylight made its appearance.

A funny thing really, Lucy had never imagined she would ever despise being reunited with the stars at nightfall.

But here she was. Yet, looking at Michelle who seemed better made her feel pleased, no doubt Natsu was going to remove his anger on Warrior Lecarde whenever that is he would arrive.

At least some had their justice fulfilled.

-•-

He hadn't come to her for a long time, not that Lucy made a pleasure of noticing but she realised that he was purposely delaying his confrontation to catch her unaware. Lucy knew him better than most even his own brother.

Natsu liked to prowl around a prey, take his own time before trapping it. She remembered that he had done the same during their duel.

There were reasons why he liked battling in the war, the anger, the control. They say that a man would be worth his salt only when he is judged by the content of his character.

Lucy chortled, _but what character lies in a man who was born by warcries of blood?_

She continued to light the candles of her nightly shine, it came twice a month on the night of the new moon where Lucy would guard the shrine.

Traditions of kingdom deemed that the last time the Shrine had a Priestess, 2000 years ago, they would guard the Shrine all night alone to protect it from the evil that lured in the skies in the absence of the moon.

As a reward, the kingdom would be blessed with prosperity every month.

Lucy stepped out for a moment to light the entrance of the shrine with the silver candelabra she held before a voice caught her completely off guard.

"If you feel inclined to run, please do, I get a sense of satisfaction when you do."

She almost dropped the candelabra before looking up at the Warrior outside her shrine.

"Get out."

"I told you, I'd come for you."

"Not in front of my shrine, not within its sanctity," Lucy growled and Natsu grinned at her vexed spirit.

"If the Gods themselves wish to see us perform then Lucy, we should grant them that, don't you think?" He asked, reaching out for her which resulted in Lucy taking hasty steps back.

"Do you really want to go through this again?" He sighed, looking at her piteously.

"I will never give myself away to you willingly."

"You will, eventually," Natsu said, discarding his cape which showed the inking of a dragon on his right arm, inked in black and ending at the back of his wrist.

The moonlight slipped in and reflected off his chest.

"This isn't right," Lucy said, backing off to the wall. She despised being reduced to a wet cat grasping at straws for her safety but it seemed like there was no way out.

"It actually is. You are my prize and I will do whatever I see fit with you." He said edging closer as Lucy threw the candelabra at him before breaking into a run but Natsu caught both her hand and the candelabra before extinguishing the flames. Leaving only the rays from the moon and her stars giving light to his face.

And he looked intrigued.

"Why do you even want me?" She bit out, critically, "Surely bedding me is something that revolts you."

Natsu looked at her surprised, that the notion had hardly even crossed through his mind. He left her hand and gave her enough space to consider her rather than let her get away.

"You don't know what you do to me, do you? Every time I saw you even on that day when I killed everyone in that village, you stood out."

Lucy blinked, absorbing the new information, "What do you mean?"

"Every thought since the moment we met, I had my eye on you," Natsu said, eyes twinkling with mirth.

Disgust drew her heart away.

"You're vile."

"I know."

"You're foul."

"I've been told."

Lucy's back hit the wall as she clasped on the dagger she had strapped to her hip. Without losing a second, she whipped it out, aiming for his heart if he had one. Lucy was sure she could always bury him in the gardens without anyone noticing.

But Natsu was a Warrior, everything she tried, his enemies had as well and failed miserably.

So did she.

He dodged, catching her wrist in a grip that crushed her bones and she cried out in pain as the dagger dropped. It did leave a cut on his shoulder, however, and blood oozed out presently.

"Lucy," He said, examining the tiny wound which hardly lay in comparison to what he left on her.

"There was absolutely no need for that now was there?"

He pushed her against the wall and Lucy shut her eyes tight.

"Hell no," she heard him say through the dark, "Open your eyes, Lucy or else I'll give you a real reason to scream."

"You do that either way." She barked out as she turned away, repeating, "I will never give myself away to you willingly."

It was a mantra now really because she knew he would stop at nothing to have her, possess her. But that's the concept of it all, no matter how much you force your way through, consent makes everything all the more indispensable.

Because even you know, in comfort, if you had a choice you would _not_ choose them.

"Suit yourself then," he growled.

He grabbed her and yanked her closer to him, pressing his chest against hers as she shut her eyes. Waited for it to blow over because that's all she could do.

Natsu explored her neck as her hands clubbed into fists, her nails digging the skin of her palm in a way that drew blood. He would grind his hip into her and Lucy numbed her feelings, separating her mind from the heat her body; it was appalling how erroneously parallel her mind was to her body.

He pinned her against the wall and Lucy tried to distract herself with anything other than what was happening.

But all she got was his scent, unrestrained and merciless in its way.

_This was going to be a regular event, _she realised in the midst of it all as he picked her up in ease and for a moment Lucy hated the brute strength he possessed and felt fleeting joy at actually having defeated him once in a duel. Even if it was by foul play.

Natsu parted her legs when he decided he had enough of her body now seeking immediate release, she croaked out in pain when he pushed his way into her and dug her finger deeper as she tried to numb it.

When she finally felt disconnected, she couldn't help but feel grateful.

Lucy was not sure if her mind could handle anything this horrid. Giving way to any feelings, anything at all would hinder her psyche and she couldn't afford to look weak in Court, not in front of them. And definitely not in front of _him_.

She would endure this, learn to look numb without screaming or uttering a word even if it came at the expense of her biting her tongue off.

He stepped away from her, looking at her questioningly after he had worn his robes.

"You know, it would be easier for you to come under my wing and surrender than looking like a lost pup."

And Lucy?

She had the gall to laugh at his face which drew a disgraced stare from him.

"I'd rather be burnt to death."

-•-

_Hmm. _Levy wondered if she needed another wooden cabinet as she looked at the heaps of books before Michelle strolled in.

"Hello, Michelle, it is certainly nice to see you here."

"Hello, Levy, I won't take much of your time but if it is possible, may I please have a book regarding herbs, particularly regarding _The Atocium_?"

Puzzled at her impatience, Levy simply smiled before travelling down to the closest shelf.

"Is it for Priestess Lucy?"

"I'd rather not say."

Levy managed to look confused before finding the book.

"Here," She said, giving the brown covered book to the blonde.

"Thank you so much."

"You are most welcome," Levy said before narrowing her eyes at the figure hurrying to exit the library.

_Odd._

-•-

He came every night.

It had become such a custom, that Lucy wondered if he'd ever bore of her. He had maidens all over town, vying and fighting for his attention.

Why couldn't he simply go to them?

And she had heard too as rumours spill that women were abundant in his chambers, yet, he'd leave their company every night to seek her out.

It made her feel marked in all the wrong ways. This was never what she had ever wanted, she remembered accepting King Zeref's proposal only because of the Warrior, she knew he would ravage cities, town and villages to flames until he found her again. And if she dreaded him the first night he took her then nothing would compare to when he actually would find her.

The only safe haven would be his own home.

Being a Priestess was a higher position than being a Warrior. But Lucy reminded herself that he was the brother of the Emperor, the next king should Zeref falter. That way his stance was superior to hers. He couldn't hurt her when his own people were watching his position in court, the nobility was flawed in that manner.

Plus, she had been curious to see the functioning of a kingdom.

They say curiosity killed the cat and satisfaction brought it back but Lucy wasn't sure if it was worth it anymore. Perhaps she should simply leave, this place no longer made her happy, the remaining peace she had was butchered and sacrificed in a way that would return.

So thinking, Lucy sent an approval order to be signed by The Emperor.

To go live in Mount Otium for the rest of her life, however long, however short.

Not only did it come back rejected, but the security around her was also tightened. Lucy now left nowhere without at least three guards by her side.

She clenched her fist but laughed dryly.

What was she even expecting? All that the whole lot had ever done was subjugation. Why did she think anything better would arrive?

"You should give up." He whispered, pressing his lips to her neck.

"You should die."

"That would make you happy, wouldn't it?" Natsu asked, amused.

"I'd dance on your grave under the pale moonlight." She scowled at him morbidly as he got off her.

"You should accept your fate being tied to me." He said wearing his robes as she covered her body under the sheets.

"Humans are fated with humans, not monsters," Lucy stated, coldly looking away from him as he silently strode outside.

Though she did hear a vase break on his way out indicating that her jab had not gone unanswered.

-•-

"Priestess," Levy had asked once, "why do you bother taking it at all?"

Lucy looked at her before nonchalant eyes found the sun rays tapping on her balcony.

"Scream for help? Shout and accuse him in open court?"

"Yes, why not?"

"You don't know the Dragneels as I do, madness and primal instinct of supremacy that runs in their blood," Lucy said, her eyes softening to a shallow light.

"Their father was a gem I've heard but he was a coward." She folded her arms as she continued. "Had he brought his sons up with a bit more care, perhaps they wouldn't appear to be as much as of a beast they are. Besides, while everyone in court understands what is happening is wrong they would not stand up for commoner especially against their own. It would be futile."

Levy absorbed this talk eagerly, glad somebody shared her thoughts.

"But the people still love them?" She said, drawing her brows.

Lucy laughed a short laugh almost in irony.

"They love the people as well, Emperor Zeref has never denied justice to his people and Warrior Dragneel has always gone out to fight all war in the name of the land and its people. It's obvious they would adore them for it, not that the commoners know what goes about within the Court of Alvarez."

"It's very confusing," Levy admitted with a sigh.

"The roots of the Court are dark and complex, Levy. To understand it, you might as well be around from the start and it still wouldn't make sense."

"Is that what you felt when you first came here?"

"No, not really." Lucy said, her hands looking weak and that didn't even bother her anymore, "What happens in the Court is more of mental sparring, if you can't stand your grounds here, you _will_ topple."

Levy for once seemed to have been glad she wasn't a part of the nobility. It was what they said, while the extraordinary lived and thrive, the commoners survived but they at least they survived until the very end.

"Oh, and Priestess," Levy said, remembering a certain detail.

"Yes?"

"Have you heard of that Palace Lady impregnated by the Emperor?"

Lucy looked at her, confusion swaying her mind before Michelle cocked her head to the side.

"Oh, you mean Mavis?"

"If that was her name." Levy said, shrugging her shoulders, "They say that the Emperor impregnated her and then threw her to the dungeons. August is her child it would seem."

Michelle shifted uncomfortably as she sat on the floor.

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"Michelle, please sit on the cushion, would you?"

"But-"

"-Please."

Michelle gently sat on the cushion comfortably and Levy wondered if that's what made Lucy different, it should've been.

"Now," Lucy said, "who is Mavis?"

Her helper looked at her back and forth, "this mustn't go outside these walls, Emperor Zeref has made it a crime to mention her name."

"I wonder why." Levy rolled her eyes before sipping a gulp of water from the goblet.

"So it happened that Mavis was a Palace Lady, just like me." Michelle said, "but she had the spirits of a War Tactician. Her mind could strategize through any defeat our warriors faced. But a day at a petty banquet came where a prophecy was uttered by a great soothsayer."

Lucy pursed her lips, somehow, she felt like this wasn't going to end anywhere except for the nether directions.

"And the prophecy said that her blood was so strong that her child would surpass his father no matter who he was." Michelle looked down at her feet.

"Prince Zeref, at that point, was required to have a son before he could ascend the throne and a son powerful than his father would be beneficial for the continuation of the Dragneel line."

Lucy shut her eyes close. She didn't need to hear what happened next.

"So he shut the doors of her room close and came out only in the morning. He kept her in his quarters for nine months that would then pass."

Levy clenched her jaw.

"So it didn't disgust him that he had forcibly impregnated a Palace Lady but defending one in open court made him shy?" Lucy asked, indignation crisp in her tone.

"I have nothing to say that could defend his actions and I do not wish to," Michelle raised her head to meet Lucy's eyes, "even though he's my Emperor."

"Where is she now?" Lucy asked, certainly she would have seen such a woman around.

"He trapped in a dungeon made underneath the Eastern Tower."

Lucy's head snapped up so quickly, Levy was afraid the Priestess would have had a bone broke.

"What do you mean?"

"She's been kept in those dungeons for seven years now it would seem. They stripped her of her son as soon as he was born."

"Why is she still being trapped there then?" Lucy questioned, worked with emotion.

Michelle stayed silent, "No one knows but one can speculate."

Levy raised a brow in puzzlement, "What exactly?"

"That he fell in love with her in the duration of those nine months."

The Librarian pondered upon it only for a second before a laugh emerged from the bed. Michelle and Levy both startled, gape at Lucy who seemed to be going through a bout of laughter, the derision in it wasn't missed by either.

"My Priestess?"

"Love, you say?" Lucy said, shaking her shoulders, "The Dragneel brothers can't ever truly love and you know why perhaps?"

The blonde looked up with thoughtful humour dancing on her face, "Because they corrupt every single thing they touch, love if there was, would become tainted."

Levy made her vision change its sights in favour of looking out the window and her brows furrowed at the tiny chimney perched on the highest point of the Emperor's Palace.

"Is something wrong?" Michelle asked, concerned.

"There's red smoke in the air." She said muddled before Lucy got to her feet, the blonde surveyed it twice and Levy couldn't tell what it was in her mind. Yet her face seemed to show tints of relief.

"It is a clarion call for the Warriors and Tactioners."

"For what?"

Her question was met with silence before Lucy headed out to remove her traditional robes.

"There has been an attack on a part of the kingdom."

-•-

The Warriors entered the court in armours and sharp steel, etched in the name of surrendering their lives in the name of the kingdom.

The flag of the kingdom was carried high before it.

"We ask your leave, Emperor." They chorused before kneeling down in honour of him.

"Return victoriously, my Warriors." He smiled at them benevolently with the flair of his royal traditional robes.

Lucy sat emotionlessly from her throne as she could foresee another tribute or a banquet being made for their victory in some time. Then, the thought of Natsu dying in the middle of the battlefield teased her heart, she hoped for his death but even she knew it was wishful thinking.

The southern prong of the Alvarez Empire had been annexed by a group of conspirators, declaring themselves now as the ruler of it. They had killed a minister and Lucy wondered if they knew what kind of foolishness they had committed.

Not that it was wrong to seize power from a cruel Duke who may or may not have been corrupt in his gains. But they knew the Warriors from Vistarion -the capital of Alvarez- was a death in the form of humans, their skills in the war were legendary.

It would be only for a few months that it would take, then, he would return.

Return for her.

Lucy was right in guessing that she couldn't run away during this period either. It seemed that Palace security for some reason had tightened its grips around her. It was almost hilarious for her to watch how carefully they made certain that there was no way she could slip away.

Almost as if she was branded.

She sighed as they continued with the ceremony of sending Warriors away to the battlefield.

They seemed to be doing it more often than.

But something happened.

Right before the Emperor could raise his sceptre to voice his blessings, he looked straight at her.

She arched a brow at him cautiously.

"Priestess, would you please bear the honour of showering blessings on our Warriors?"

Lucy's eyes narrowed only for a split second, an utterance of disagreement tight on her lip before she raised herself to her feet.

Her gaze settled on the Warriors looking at her, she refused to rest it even once upon their leader who looked at her amused.

There was a quality to the way the rest of the Warriors focused on her in hope for protection and it was only that once Lucy saw fear in their eyes.

Almost as if they would certainly die if her blessings weren't bestowed upon them.

Some were hardly children and to battlefields, they were sent when in reality their hands should grip on quills not sword. In spite of what had been done to her and their silence to it being deafening, Lucy could never do the same to anyone she knew.

Lucy smiled at them gently as Michelle saw light trail her footfalls tenderly as she stood in front of the Warriors. Yet, her face didn't turn even once to acknowledge their head.

"My Warriors, someone wise once told me that bravery does not mean having no fear," She said tenderly, emotion reaching out to every Warrior as they honoured their Priestess with raised heads.

"It means feeling fear to its depths and still conquering your ends. For every time in bloodshed, if you can not breathe and you can't move, I hope my words carry you through. May the stars and the moon look after your shield and armour, I bless you in the right of the highest Priestess in this land."

Natsu narrowed his eyes and the movement attracted her attention for a moment.

_And you?_ Lucy thought, abhorrence raging the same way it did when he was about to take a life away.

_You, I hope you find death._

And almost as if Natsu found her message, he returned it simply with a smirk.

-•-

It was simply devouring.

The moment he left, it was almost as if Lucy found peace.

She hadn't known how long it was since she could step foot lightly into court without looking over her shoulder, without the penetrating fear of him behind her, without the feeling of her heart jumping to her throat.

Lucy had never appreciated the air of the Court, not stagnated by the Warrior's presence this way, the carriage rides in all its simplicity began aiding Lucy's spirit and mind. Although she knew that her spirits were damaged, they would never, never return to what they used to be.

Her gaze fluttered around the trees, as it fell a ragged entrance at a distance between a grove of trees, almost covered and secluded if it hadn't been seen from a certain angle.

"Priestess," Michelle softly called her name out, sitting opposite to her in the carriage.

"Yes?"

"That's the Eastern tower's entrance."

Lucy blinked before peering out the window once more but she couldn't catch a glance again.

"The same one rumoured to imprison that Palace Lady?" Lucy asked as their carriage ran out the doors for a visit to the Alvarez market.

"Apparently so."

The Priestess simply rested her back against the cushioned seat in wonder.

"I hope we find the bangles you liked the last time, Michelle."

"Absolutely not, Priestess."

Lucy raised a brow, a little baffled at her, "But you were whining about how you wished to go and take a look of the collection, weren't you?"

"Yes but I heard Milliana talk about it being a farce, those bangles weren't truly the crystals mined from the caves of Stella."

"What kind were they?"

"Moon crystals, my Lady."

The blonde smiled as the carriage went about common streets, earning a low bow from most of them while some strained to catch a glance of the Priestess within.

"Moon crystals have a tendency to emit pearly white rays when light passes through it." She said, smiling at her helper, "also if the crystal is real, it most likely won't be in perfect shape, if it is, it's probably fake."

"Bu-but how does one identify it being farce or not Priestess?"

"You could also pop into the fire, Moon crystal withstand any blaze," Lucy frowned in consideration, "but I doubt the shop owner would allow you to do so without buying it first."

"Was there anytime you fallen for a pretence, my Priestess?" Michelle asked, already knowing the answer. Lucy had a knack for discrediting things that had false appearances.

In fact, half the jewellery Michelle owned was first checked by Lucy who could at a blink of an eye, separate wheat from the chaff. So evidently, her Priestess was probably never deceived by-

"-I actually was," Lucy smiled.

Michelle blinked, she was?

"You were?"

"Yes, I think when I was quite young, not more than four or five."

"Priestess, you were a child."

"But I was deceived nonetheless." She grinned at her.

"How?"

"Back in my village where the Heartfilia tribe resided," Lucy spoke as if she was reminiscing the better days in sweet nostalgia, "We had a celestial event happening, it was the passing of a comet, that's what they called it in my tribe. It's a bright icy object in the night skies with a tail of shimmering white."

"Oh, we call them dirty snowballs." Her helper piped in.

Lucy laughed, "Of course you do."

She shook her head in good humour and Michelle was glad she could witness at least a speck of true happiness upon her Priestess' visage.

"Either way," Lucy continued, "I was too small to have actually seen it but I really wanted to catch it being the child I was. However, only those older who could participate in the ceremony, joining in a circle and pray for fortune and shield from all evil for the next twelve years."

"Oh, so it came only once in twelve years?"

"Yes."

"Was it called something?"

"The Fairy Sphere."

Michelle nodded as she motioned her to continue her little tale.

"Yes, I did insist to my parents that I wanted to catch it but they left me at home." Lucy laughed at her childish self, it still seemed to inspire humour in her, the kind of warmth she actually wanted. "After they had come home, the comet was just a faint light but was I going to surrender? Absolutely no. So I ran out when my parents were asleep into the woods."

"Priestess, that sounds like something you wouldn't do at all, even as a child!" Michelle protested.

"I am fallible as well, Michelle, especially then because I no longer found the comet because of the canopy of the trees. Lost in the woods, I came across a cliff below which at great heights was a lake."

Michelle's brows furrowed at where the story was going and she wasn't sure if she liked it either.

"Upon the pond's surface, however, was a reflection of the comet. Since it had no trees around it either, the comet was clearly shown."

"Priestess, did-"

"I jumped into the lake with the will to catch the comet but I had forgotten that I couldn't swim. I had fallen for its reflection and to my death because of deception and how absurd does it sound to catch a comet."

"Did you come out safe?"

"Narrowly." Lucy surmised, "my parents were petrified to not find me the next morning and even more so when they found me on the verge of death, unconscious at the shore of the lake."

"It almost cost you your life, that little fall."

"It did. And so I promised myself for the sake of parents, that until the day I died, I would be wary of the thin lines of deception."

"Well," Michelle said, unaware of what her next statement might cause, "Surely the next time you would definitely be able to witness the comet and laugh at the little incident with your parents."

Lucy's cheer was almost immediately wretched by a distant drab in her eyes.

"I was never able to."

Michelle inclined her head to the side in slight disorientation.

"Why my Priestess?"

"Because the next time the Fairy Sphere came, " Lucy delivered, gelid.

"It brought Natsu Dragneel with it."

* * *

Hello, there.

It's nice to see you here again. All your reviews have been appreciated. And, I honestly feel like a terrible person for writing Natsu in this light, cause like- He's this bubbly, carefree child with such a pure heart and this story completely re-writes him in such a terrible light that I feel like a shitty person.

I'm sorry for ruining your image of him momentarily if I did.

Thank you for being here. It might not be a great ending but I would appreciate your support until then.

Ta ta.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter three**_

_**-•-•-•-•-**_

Yuri Dreyar was a merchant.

Of sorts.

He had come from a faraway land called Fiore, that was his home. He almost smiled at the mention of his home, it had been so long since he had returned home, sometimes he bought things, sometimes he made them and therefore, he sold them. He would spend six months every year here in Alvarez with his son to sell whatever he could.

Selling the most miscellaneous items was well-taken by the crowd of Alvarez because he rarely didn't have something they wanted.

But that was hardly the reason.

In fact, it wasn't even a part of it.

Yuri stayed in Alvarez for six months every year in hope of meeting his long-lost friend, his darling Mavis. Precht had tried, tried convincing him that it was lost hope but Yuri refused to give up, for Goodness' sake, it was Mavis! She would scourge the realms afar and nearest to find them had they been in a similar predicament.

When Mavis did not return to Fiore after providing military aid to Alvarez, he began to worry. When she didn't return for three years, he went to Alvarez himself.

Strangely, it seemed like she had disappeared without a trace. No one knew her, not even by name and then he heard all about it. Yuri's blood boiled in unadulterated fury when he served as a server in the Palace where he finally learnt Mavis' fate.

He almost pounced and successfully killed the Emperor of Alvarez when he was moving around had it not been for his brother who had been staring at him like he expected the exact sort of move.

He hated the helplessness he felt.

And he would have continued to wallow in it as he ate his lunch had it not been of the sudden sounds voicing just outside.

"Papa, we have patrons." His six-year-old son called out, quick on his feet. Makarov had always been shy of frequenters in spite of how many years that would continue to pass by.

Yuri frowned.

It was still three hours to dusk, all shops would be closed for lunch and no customer would frequent the shop_ unless-_

He stopped his thought darkly.

_-unless_ they were the part of Royals.

Grudgingly, Yuri put on a smile, evoking the charming side of his personality towards the people he bore most ill will to. Damn them and their kind, he hoped for sufferings and agony showered upon their doorstep.

He almost stopped on his foothold the moment he raised his sights upon the royal that had entered his humble shop as he came out to see her.

He called her name out, attracting the attention of the Royal.

She raised a blatant brow at him and Yuri realised he had obviously mistaken her with the person he thought she was.

"I'm not-" Lucy began only to be interrupted sharply.

"-Priestess!" a maidservant came in rushing in, her skirts bulging to the sides as she ran in, to the side of the Royal.

"Michelle," The Priestess spoke, eyes softening in a starry glow, "you were quite literally in the previous shop, watching those bangles which I have already bought you."

"Priestess." The maidservant said almost chidingly, "you shouldn't have!"

"If I have the means to buy what my friend wishes for," She smiled at her helper, "I certainly will."

"B-but my-"

"-hush now. I wouldn't want this kind vendor to keep waiting for the night to end our bickering, come now,"

Yuri straightened himself as the woman then turned to him.

"I am Lucy Heartfilia, I wish to make a purchase of vase if you do not mind."

Yuri blinked thrice before he realised.

"Priestess Lucy? My apologies for not immediately greeting you."

"No, kind Sir," Lucy smiled and Yuri almost forgot to breathe. He had not the impression that the Royal was such an ethereal form, the only other woman who had reached that height completely was his darling wife, Rita.

But wait.

There was something amiss.

The Priestess' lacked something in her eyes, was it mirth? Was it peace of mind?

_Or_, Yuri mused in his head, _was it both? _She seemed disconsolate like there was a crack in the pattern. To him, it felt vaguely human, crushing his beliefs that perhaps, she wasn't a Goddess; only a human with sung attributes of a God.

"I am afraid I must ask forgiveness for intervening between you and your lunch." She said, tilting her head to the side in apology.

"By all means, Priestess, we commoners are always at your feet to serve you."

Lucy turned her head, her beautiful blonde hair waving a little in the air.

"If you are to serve me, simply do it because I'm your patron." She smiled a little. "Priestess or not, we are made by the same creator, are we not?"

Yuri nodded slowly, unsure if consenting to it was what he wanted to do.

"What kind of vase are you searching for, Priestess?" He said, changing the topic to something different because he didn't know how to fare with humility when it came from a royal.

"A water pitcher and an amphora, please." She said.

"Ahh, we have both of a rather splendid design, I shall procure it in a moment."

And in a moment itself, he brought her two elegant vases upon delicately which were carved and painted flowers of spring and mockingbirds singing for the joy of life. It earned a gasp from Michelle who admired it and Yuri felt his chest puff up in pride.

His dear Rita had made those.

"These are splendid, have you any perfumes as well?" Lucy said, handling the vase with care. She had particularly asked for a water pitcher because she had accidentally broken one that belonged to the palace earlier and although they insisted that there was no contempt, Lucy simply felt the need that she should oblige in buying one for the Palace.

"None at all at the moment, Priestess," Yuri said, frowning.

"Oh well, that is a pity-"

"-but there is a stock coming in before the beginning of the next month, I can send my son to deliver it to the palace promptly." He offered.

"That would be pleasant of you," Lucy said before her eye struck a little boy hiding behind Yuri.

"Hello there," she said, slowly.

Makarov came out from his hiding place, "Hello."

"What's your name, Sir?"

"Makarov. Makarov Dreyar." He said with a deep sense of satisfaction.

"How are you doing this fine afternoon, Mister Makarov?"

"Hungry." was the boy's blunt reply making Yuri straighten his back immediately.

"My sincere apologies Priestess-"

He was interrupted with the tinkling of Lucy's laughter.

"The child is hungry, it would be cruel to keep him away from his meal I suppose." She said before paying him in copper coins, "I bid you well and hope for your good health."

So saying the Priestess left the shop with her maidservant however, her arrival did make Yuri curious.

"Papa."

He looked down at Makarov.

"Aren't Royals supposed to be happy people?"

And Yuri chortled sardonically before patting his son's head lightly.

"It is a curious little thing, my son. For Royals seem like they have everything, yet, the saddest cries have been heard only within Palace walls."

Makarov wrinkled his nose.

"I don't understand, Papa."

"Soon you will, son, soon you will." He said as Lucy stepped back into the carriage escorted by a battalion of guards.

_For the security of a Priestess alone? _Yuri thought confounded,_ even the Emperor does not have so many guards around when he comes out for a public meeting._

At that, he pondered if it was her they were providing protection for or against her.

"Priestess." Michelle voice out as they sat inside the carriage.

"Is everything alright? You seem lost."

Lucy looked at the shop by the corner of her eyes, ignoring the latter part of her statement.

"That vendor," she said, gesturing towards the blond man with his son.

"Yuri Dreyar?" Michelle said, she had met the man before in the markets whenever she would frequenting them that is, which was very often.

"Yes, " She answered before looking up at her helper, "He called me by the name of someone else."

"Who at all, Priestess?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes before tugging her sleeve down.

"Mavis."

-•-

Pastel yellow hair flood over her shoulder in resilient curls, all the way to her ankles as green eyes ached in futile dissidence. Her skin seemed as if it had been washed the day before bloomed pallidly along with scars among other things but her wrists were held in manacles tied to chains of the wall.

_I wonder if I will die in them?_

For once, Mavis Vermillion's mind could not reckon an answer.

"Your food." A voice informed, pushing in a plate of rich food and delicacies worthy for an Empress.

"Marin." She acknowledged.

"How do you fare this evening, Miss Mavis?"

"As a prisoner always does," she dryly replied.

Marin's lips pressed into a thin line as he considered the woman before him, the only time she was unchained was when she was to take a bath or use a washroom escorted by three female Warriors and three maidservants.

"Emperor Zeref gives his wishes."

Mavis' eyes dangerously watched the guard and if it weren't the bars of the steel cage she was kept in, Marin would have certainly been warier for his life.

"Oh does he now?" She asked, raising her brows in mockery.

"Miss Mavis, it is kind of the Emperor to let you stay here."

She rolled her eyes, nonchalantly; so many years and the whole lot of them still loved their King for whatever his faults. She wasn't sure if that would be to their detrimental at some point in life, perhaps they might see their blindness one day but today was not the day a miracle of that sort to occur.

"Death would be kinder." She whispered.

"Do not." Marin glared at her, "Do not speak of my King in such an atrocious manner."

"Atrocious, is it?" Mavis scoffed at him carelessly.

"You forced him into bed with you because you wanted to be Queen." He sent a malicious sneer her way as she simply ignored the bite in his tone.

"Is that what he told you or is that what you want to believe in even after the long years that have passed, Marin?" She said worn-out of the accusations slummed on her.

The soldier gritted his teeth before he took the water pitcher and poured a glass which filled only halfway because Mavis gasp attracted his attention.

"What is it?" He ground out.

"T-that water pitcher."

He looked at the vase in his hand, there was nothing special about it apart from the fact that it looked slightly more different than the regular vases which were carved with swords and armours, this one was embedded with visions of mockingbirds and spring.

"What about it?"

"I want to see it." Desperation was clear in her voice, sounding at decibels higher than her regular.

"Why?" Marin asked suspiciously, there was no reason for him to oblige to her request and nothing was there in the vase except for water.

_It couldn't be,_ Mavis thought earnestly, it was so many years after but she recognised a vase made by her dear friend quicker than the flash of familiar lightning bolts.

"Please."

He raised a brow before an idea shadowed his eyes.

"Alright, then, I shall." He gave a smiled to her as Mavis moved to the bars of steel. However, right before she could reach for Marin's hand that was holding the pitcher out to her, he dropped it.

Resulting in a crash that shattered her hearing.

"NO!" Her voice bellowed the first time in seven years.

"I do not know what that simple pitcher of mud would mean to you more than the wishes of the King but you deserve the agony you receive for it." He sneered at her, hoping the worse for her but that would come at the expense of his Emperor's well-being who was just growing better from his secret ailment. He didn't even understand what the Emperor saw in such in her but he guessed that's what it was. The good always tries to see the better in the bad.

Mavis crumbled down as a piece of the pitcher reached the tip of her feet, no doubt it was made by Rita if the mark of her craftsmanship was anything to go by. Tears trailed down for the first time through years of numbed emotions.

She didn't know how it found her, she didn't know who brought it here. But the sobbing memory of her family returned to her within the blink of an eye.

Yuri. Precht. Warrod.

She missed all of them.

Her heart throbbed as if a thorn had been struck against it anew. And Rita, oh darling Rita, that woman who had been the sweetest to her. And Mavis came across the stunning realisation that she may never see her family again. The same realisation that had pained her several years ago. '

_Mayhaps, in another life,_ Mavis pulled the pieces close to her, barely managing to catch them as the walls began closing in on her again, _I'll see you again, I promise I'll find you, Yuri. _

A thunderous wail erupted from her as it struck against the ceiling and broke free into the air surrounding it.

Lucy shot up in her bed in a shuddering mess of cold sweat in pain that hammered against her very heart.

"Is something wrong, my Priestess?" Michelle asked, blowing out the candles.

"A nightmare," Lucy said before drinking a bit of the water kept on her bed table and dropped back to heavy sleep.

Oddly, in the morning she couldn't recall anything about it.

Almost as if the pain was rendered emotional only at that point of the night.

-•-

Emperor Zeref marched out to his public balcony, the flare of his cape dragging behind ambitiously. The silence garnered around him seemed to calm him down lightly after the finishing of today's court.

Night breeze slipped through his hair, lightly brushing against it.

From the expanse of his balcony, he could see every single thing. Every quarter of the Palace, every residence that remained outside the walls to the merchant shop and if he made the stretch, he could probably see the patrolling soldiers at the official borders of the Vistarion city as well.

Everything in his control.

Under his rule.

Yet, it would seem his vision would be proved wrong when it settled on the jagged remains of the Easter tower leading to an underground dungeon because what lay within Ankhseram could not be controlled by him.

His fist closed.

Why couldn't she just give in?

Many puzzles had bewildered him in the duration of his life but Mavis Vermillion would always tatter his brains into pieces for reasons that would never make sense to him. Zeref had offered her the role of a Queen. To rule beside him over the whole of Alvarez, to be his Queen.

But she refused.

She refused him.

The insolence!

They would have made a wonderful pair in spite of her reputation for being a Palace lady and a War Tactician.

And when the prophecy was pronounced by that Soothsayer, Zeref took it as a sign from above. Even after she was pregnant with his son, the bloody witch refuse to even meet his eyes.

He hated her resilience. She would simply not listen to him when told her that he would have her in the end of it all, when she tried to escape with August being barely a week old, Zeref decided enough was enough.

So he trapped her in the dungeons of Ankhseram under the Eastern towers. Of course, he visited her every and then but she wouldn't even spare him a glance. They could have ruled Alvarez together, her mind with his own, they would be invincible and he would love her.

But none of these thoughts occurred within Mavis. All she wanted to do was go back to Fiore, her home, why couldn't she just accept him as her home already?

On one of their visits when he had voiced out these thoughts out, when he had demanded her to accept him because that was the only logical option, after all, who would want to stay trapped in a cage until the day they die? Obviously she would have to relent at some point.

But Mavis looked at him, "The bars that you trap me with have become more familiar to me than you who stands before me. If my life is etched in these bars then so be it but I shan't ever find any comfort in your arm or your crown."

He flinched remembering her word for word, his memory seemed to be a bane to him at times like this.

A knock on the door attracted his attention and before Zeref turned around to notice his chief of staff standing before him.

"My King."

"Invel," He said, almost surprised, "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing of the sort, my King."

"Then?"

"Messenger Jaruzelski has returned." He informed, neutrally.

"Oh, and what news has he brought?" Zeref asked with his interest piqued.

"Your brother returns in two nights, my King." The Emperor smiled even before Invel could continue.

"And he returns victorious as always, doesn't he?" He asked.

Invel looked at him, wondering if the only true companion he ever had was his brother. He wasn't an idiot, he knew the Emperor and his brother and the disturbing matters regarding both but he preferred not to indulge in them. Which was a smart move because the politics that ran through the Court were dangerous and poison pricked. Besides, he wished for a peaceful life.

To the query, he nodded languidly, "He does, my Emperor."

-•-

There was another party announced for the hard-earned victory of the Warriors, none of them fell to their deaths. It was almost as if they were protected by the grace of the Priestess. Jason boasted (to no one's surprise) that it was as if the Moon and her stars had protected them until the night's end.

None of them even suffered a deep wound, just scratches, it was almost as if victory had been spread out on the table for the taking.

But to everyone's disappointment, Lucy chose not to attend the party.

"My Priestess is suffering a terrible headache." was the reason her maidservant had given.

Natsu chuckled.

_So she thinks she can me avoid me huh? _He thought, sharpening his gaze at the thick gold bracelet given as a souvenir from the Duke for restoring him to power though the Warrior would make sure to replace him, the people were certainly not happy with his rule.

Natsu's thoughts diverged to the blonde and her absence that annoyed him as he kept the souvenir down carelessly. Not before long, he went to meet Zeref only to notice a child take the bracelet.

And suddenly, he knew exactly what he was going to punish her with.

-•-

Lucy wore her courtly robes before she strode into the Court with chin held high.

Defiant as usual.

It was fascinating how her guard didn't drop even after she witnessed Natsu standing right next to the empty seat of the King. She sat on hers which was on a lower layer than the sovereign throne of the Emperor, legs crossed with nothing betraying her face. Zeref only walked in a second later and all stood in the honour of his Majesty and resumed their seat only when he did.

"Today," He announced, "We have a punishment order of thirty whippings."

Lucy looked up with brows furrowed, puzzlement doubling in her head.

"Upon whom, my King?"

Zeref inclined his head towards her in mild astonishment.

"My Priestess, you were not present in the event for the victory of our Warriors, were you?"

"I had a headache." She smiled, bluntly lying through her teeth and everyone in Court knew it.

"Is that so?" He replied dryly, "Well, then, of course, one wouldn't expect you to know. There was a robbery yesterday of the golden bracelet my brother received as a souvenir. Do not fret though, we found our little thief."

"Therefore, as punishment, fifteen whippings have been issued on his name." He said.

Lucy felt a sinking drum drowning its beats against her heart.

"Bring the perpetrator."

Immediately, footfalls of armed soldiers sounded in representational thumps, Lucy couldn't see the offender anywhere until they finally reached right before the King. Lucy instantly recognized the blonde hair on the head of the little boy.

"Makarov." She gasped deeply.

He was crying for mercy, swearing never to steal again and Lucy felt herself fall into a perplexed state as she stood up.

"My Emperor," She began softly, "He's a child."

"This has not been the first time he's stolen, my Priestess, let his age not bewilder your sense of justice."

"A child does not steal unless he is forced to, my King." She protested.

"Most of us do not too." His clipped tone answered.

"But fifteen whippings, my King, it would kill him. He could not hope to bear." Lucy said, compassion flowing through her veins as she moved from her throne to see the King eye to eye.

"That would be his fate."

Lucy felt her jaw drop at his stubborn insistence. Her gaze was diverted from Zeref to the soft tug on her robes as she turned her head to Makarov in shackles and a few wounds inflicted on his tender skin freshly sprouted as Lucy surveyed his body.

"Help m-me."

And as he continued to tug her robes, Lucy's heartstrings pulled in a downcasted melody.

"Hey, don't touch the Priestess, boy!" The soldier raised his heavy chain whip to strike him before Lucy instinctively pulled the boy in her arms to shield him for it as she shut her eyes close.

When she waited for an excruciating pain to hit her, it didn't come.

Lucy opened her eyes slowly before she looked up to see a muscular back in front of her before she stood to her full height.

"Now, now soldier," Natsu said, holding the whip with his bare hands, "Agility is necessary for battle but intelligence is needed as well, one mark on the Priestess could easily earn you a lifetime in prison along with the war criminals."

"M-my apologies, your Highness." The soldier declared aloud before falling to his feet.

Natsu looked down at him before turning his head towards Lucy.

"Can't you stay out of my business for once?" He growled annoyed.

She glared back at him knowing full well that he had stepped in only because he viewed her as his possession, "No one asked you to rescue me now, did they?"

His jaw clasped in a deadly tightness.

Lucy let her eyes return to Makarov whose tears had spilt on her robes, she settled the boy in her arms down to the carpeted floor.

"Hello, love," she said, cupping his face.

"H-help me."

She tenderly brushed the tears falling, "Why did you steal Makarov? Was something wrong at home?"

"P-papa's sick." He sputtered, sniffling before continuing, "His medicine needs fifteen coins of gold."

"Why didn't you say so then?"

"They wouldn't let me." Makarov cried out as Lucy raised her eyes to the King with a speculatively.

"My King, this would be an injustice."

"Would it at all, Priestess?" Zeref said, letting his hand rest on the arm of his throne shaded in gold.

"My decision, however, stand firm." He said making Lucy grind her teeth together, "if you want mercy for the boy then you should probably seek it from who he has offended."

Michelle watched her Priestess bite her lower lip, hard enough to draw blood, this. she felt, would not end very amiably. Lucy was almost in the favour of letting her pride win before she saw the last glint of hope lost in Makarov's eyes, her chest constricted and she gnashed the last remaining pride she had.

The blonde turned to Natsu who seemed to be amused by the turn of events, he simply stared at her with his figure almost towering her.

"My Warrior," Lucy addressed pliantly, "his age is the same of your nephew, Prince August. This child is not fit to withstand blows of fifteen whippings given by Bakel whose reputation lies in cleaving flesh away from the bone."

"He shouldn't have stolen then."

"He didn't have a choice."

"He could have said a word."

"But you didn't let him!"

"Priestess," Natsu said, subdued as a little smirk found its way to his lips. "If you're appealing for clemency, I don't think that's the right way to do it."

"What do you want?" She snarled, not bothering to shield the sneer coming strong on her features.

He drew closer, "Do you really wish to know?"

Dark honey eyes flickered to him in question.

"I want that boy to suffer before your eyes so I can enjoy your helplessness."

Lucy choked on her breath as she took in the brutish aspect of his meaning, to spite her? How low could he grow?

Yet, a distinct part of her head warned her that he knew her too well, better yet, he knew her compassion too well to be sure that she would certainly not let a child face such a ruthless punishment. And looking at the Emperor now, Lucy understood he had been employed into his brother's plot as well.

_This was planned_, Lucy realised at the midst of it all, _but why?_

She tried to find a reason why she had earned this abrasive state and it came to her from memory when she refused to attend the party. As revelation sparked through her eyes, Natsu's grin grew wider as if he was affirming her thoughts in positive.

He simply wished to see her suffer.

Just because she refused to welcome him back from his slaughtering? With the price of what? A child?

Lucy dug her nails deep into the skin of her palm, breaking it to let blood flow. Her toes curled as she controlled her annoyance at how helpless she was.

"Guards," The Warrior called out walking forward as they stood in attention, "Take this boy to the chambers of the-"

"-I'll participate."

Natsu froze momentarily at the touch of Lucy's delicate fingers wrapping itself around his own and then at the statement itself before widening his eyes to look back at the Priestess.

"_What?_"

"Tonight," she whispered, dignity breaking in her tone, "I'll come to you."

"My consent in return for his life."

Her eyes were covered with bangs and Natsu knew she wouldn't break her end of bargain so did she really mean it? He was not intensely happy, just intrigued by how far she was willing to stretch.

She raised her head to him, her eyes revealing nothing but perhaps plain altruism.

Natsu brought up her hand to his lips without breaking contact with her gaze for even a moment, he kissed her knuckle like a lover would but Lucy knew better like she always did. He had the stare of a dragon willing to make his arrest or completing his claim.

"As you wish, my Priestess."

A chill went down her body till her ankles as Lucy suffered the bargain.

"Brother." He said making Zeref raise his brows, "Perhaps this time I shall let it go."

"Are you certain?"

"More than I have ever been." He said as Lucy sighed in relief, she quietly snatched her hand from him as she stepped away.

"Remove his restraints, leniency will be the way of today's courtly session," Zeref announced as people applauded but it only felt like an earthquake on Lucy's ears as the soldiers removed the shackles off the tiny figure before her.

Lucy called Michelle forward.

"My Priestess?"

"Michelle, take him to my private quarters, aid to his wounds and clean him up." Lucy instructed before drawing her maidservant closer, "Find the medicine and pay for it from my personal treasury and return this child home, alright? Will you do this for me, Michelle?"

"To the details, my Priestess," Michelle hesitated, "will you be alright, my Priestess?"

An answer did not reach her ear because Lucy herself was uncertain of it.

Makarov thanked profusely before leaving court and Lucy's heart almost knew it had made the right decision. She would have patently believed it had there not been a shadow of a whisper that brushed across the shell of her ear before she resumed her position on the throne of the Priestess.

"I await your arrival tonight."

-•-

Lucy took a deep breath, she had quite literally battered her dignity for the life of an innocent child but she wasn't sure anymore. To surrender would mean to feel and it wasn't certain if corporeal pleasure was something Lucy wanted to handle especially when it came from him.

And for goodness' sake, she couldn't let him bed her willingly.

Even with the fact it would be only for a night. Bitterness prickled beneath her skin, urging her to move backwards because this was certainly a sacrifice she could avoid.

She trudged to his quarters as slowly as she could and it seemed like everyone knew why she was there. They acted as if it was a festive occasion.

Lucy gulped down an air of uncertainty, how was she supposed to go about this?

Worship him, perhaps.

That's what they all do anyway, except for her that is. But that would carve a revulsion so deep into Lucy, she doubted it would be forgotten till the day she died and could perhaps haunt her in the afterlife as well.

"Master is in the bath." A maidservant informed him as she rolled her eyes, of course, he'd make this as difficult as it could be.

Lucy removed her robes as she stripped down her innermost clothing before wearing a sheer robe over it. Its translucency hardly hid anything though and she wondered when they had prepared it for her, Lucy stopped only for a moment before the maidservants would open the doors leading to the bath for her.

She could still optimistically consider drinking poison.

The doors opened and Lucy knew it was too late to even contemplate it.

It led down to a darkly lit corridor but she finally found the bath and it was rather big for a single person, she could practically fit at least two villages with their cattle in it. The thought almost made her laugh but she managed to pipe it down.

And perhaps it was motivated because she saw him.

In the centre of the bath, waters flushing around him up to his chest as he seemed to be unaware of her presence.

It was funny.

If one were to observe Natsu from this distance unheeded then he looked wonderfully human.

_Almost._

"Have you come only to stare at me?"

Lucy blinked, "I was wondering if I could go back on my word,"

"Then, I'll go back on mine." He shrugged casually but Lucy knew he meant it. He would have no absolute affliction with causing pain to people to meet his own ends.

For several minutes, Lucy simply stared at him while he watched her, learnt her and devoured her sight to his heart's content. It was silent the way he looked at her and Lucy knew he was admiring her like a Palace Lady would for a golden bracelet.

How was she supposed to touch this man without feeling immediately repulsed?

Lucy would only take a man to bed if she was in love with him so was she to pretend this abominable creature as her lover for a night? It seemed as if that was the only way out here. Makarov's life still hung by a string until she completed her end of the bargain.

So love him, she must pretend to.

She had made this bed now she had to lie in it.

Lucy took the first step into the water followed by another as her sheer bathrobe dampened as she went lower into the water, her eyes didn't stray away from his even once as she repeated her words in her head.

_Like you would for your lover, Lucy._

She edged closer to him as he watched her wade the waters almost reached her neck.

_An eye for an eye_, she thought, _makes the whole world blind._

She was at an arm's distance from him as he stared at every move she made, not once leaving his guard down which Lucy was glad of. It was something familiar to fight on.

"So you've surrendered."

_Only for tonight,_ she thought, _it's only a night, Lucy. Come morning light you shall not remember this._

Though he knew she would, she could only repress her memories as far as possible especially if she had to see him every day in court.

"Far from it," she responded because to her knowledge, forced consent was still forced consent.

"You will belong to me by the end of it all, my Priestess."

Lucy stepped closer within reach with a dare in her eyes.

"You wish, Dragneel."

His eyes narrowed and Lucy had only a second to prepare herself before he collided his body against hers, capturing her lips within a fraction of second. Lucy draped her arms around the man she considered her enemy and returned the kiss with equal ferocity.

It was teeth and claws while their tongues battled for dominance.

Sex was just collateral.

Lucy almost pinned his tongue down between her teeth before Natsu pulled away from her, gasping for air.

"Wuss."

Natsu looked up at her in surprise. He grinned predatorily which she returned by binding her hands behind his neck and wrapping her thighs around him as he gripped them close, feeling the heat grovel against him.

Lucy lowered herself slowly to his lips, licking them like she was testing him and she withdrew before he would come close enough to call it a peck.

"Tease." He said, not sounding very happy and it caused her to simper before she let herself completely into him.

They melted in each other's touch, Lucy had let the last of her barriers down, letting primal senses guide her as she built a pretence to take over for she felt suffocated, even agreeing to be in his arms seemed to feel like she had let herself be engulfed in a sewer of filthy desires, mainly his.

She pushed her inhibitions before returning to the kiss that had set her body on fire. Maybe that was the reason Lucy hadn't even realised they were no longer surrounded with water as he gently laid her on the bed in his private rooms.

The blonde remained still only momentarily before, pushing him down and straddling him on top as she slyly smiled at him. At the loss of control, he released a low guttural sound, Natsu leered up at her but made no effort to bring her down.

It was uncanny.

He had no problem sharing power with her.

Their hips grind against the other and heavy lust veiled their eyes as she undid his robes and soul, removing his pants deftly. His erection sprung free and Lucy placed its warm head at her entrance, she could feel her heart gnawing to pull away from the act that revolted and the friction absolutely filled her as heat pooled in her stomach was finally left satisfied.

Sensations shot up her spine as she began rolling her hips to deepen the burning desire in their bodies now aligned.

She rode him fast and hard let and Natsu a groan escape. They met their release and Lucy closed her eyes as she felt unwanted paradise sink into her flesh. She bit her lip after she sighed in content and his eyes sharpened before he caught her arm, pulling her down.

Lucy opened her eyes to look up to him.

He had the look of a dragon in him, she had no problem in imagining him to be like one. She wet her bottom lip and Natsu's eyes flickered down but the look in him grew only darker almost as if he thought he'd lose control.

"No matter what I do," Natsu bit out with him dragging the words past his lips, "You still don't consent."

She looked up at him, surprise flashing deep in her succulent honey orbs and for that moment alone, her true self baring out on the surface as she arched her neck contemplating the man above her.

"Donation and consent are two different things."

He narrowed his eyes at her implication of offering him the night was a donation in the name of the poor. The statement inspired surprise in him more than vexation as he raised his head to let the back of his knuckles graze her cheekbone lightly.

"I think I'm starting to admire how hard you try." He said, looking down upon her. "One doesn't need to try to be disgusted by you, Your Highness." She ground out, her eyes darkening to the colour of burnt sienna.

"Anyone who tries to take you away from me will be slaughtered," Natsu whispered down to her as she listened to his fancies that one that concocted like poison in a cauldron, "You will become mine and my wife, bear my kids and raise them with me."

Lucy's heart churned in her chest as if someone had put a sword through it and _twisted _it, his scent swamping off the air in her lungs as it suffocated her to death. She wouldn't become pregnant with his kids, of that she was sure. The birth-control issued by the palace had been working so well so far, there was no reason to worry.

Yet, a sinking emotion wedged itself in her stomach, refusing to leave as Natsu thrust into her, shaking the bed with every move as she reminded herself that she had to appear to enjoy it.

What if she did get pregnant? What then? Natsu would be the father and would Lucy even wish to bring children into a world with a parent of that sort? Into the Court of Alvarez? To watch where one stepped because snakes slipped in and out, waiting to strike? Heavens, no. That would be the cruellest she could be to someone and her own child at that? Absolutely not.

She rendered her gaze back at the despicable man looking at her like he owned her.

But something happened.

It happened so quick, Lucy couldn't even dodge it.

The moment came where everything was surreal, everything around them burnt down to ashes, almost like they were the only people that mattered in this cruel world. Natsu must have felt it too because he dipped his head down to hers, she closed her eyes at the feeling.

How wrong does something have to be to make one feel like it's alright?

And the chant came again to her; _Like you would for your lover._

Her eyes opened as she drew her hand up, gently pulling him to brush her lips lightly against his. Natsu felt himself freeze to the comfort that was never expressed in words. The world faded to him as he let himself be down to sync with her.

And Lucy knew it in her bones, she could never love the monster he was. She could not. Heavens forgive her for not trying to see the good him but she couldn't, even she had her limits and he was several leagues beyond it.

They broke away.

"Mine," Natsu whispered before he collapsed right next to her.

Lucy didn't offer any complaints because she was too tired to bother. She looked towards up at him, chest heaving up and down, he let his hand swaddle the back of her neck before pulling her up. He pecked her lips before deepening it to a slow rhythm and just as fleetingly he fell asleep.

When the morning light came in first, Natsu awoke first.

His mind could tell his body was sore, almost like he had been coming from war but satiated it most definitely was. Natsu's head automatically turned to the arm which seemed to have felt the pressure of some kind and his onyx eyes fluttered open to look at tendrils of blonde hair.

He blinked before turning carefully to see Lucy soundlessly asleep in his arms, quiet as a little kitten.

Intuitively, his hand went to brush her hair and she furrowed her brows in sleep at the gentle gesture.

Not fully awake, Lucy must have felt a need for warmth because she snuggled away from him into her pillow, entangling her limbs to which her subconscious deemed fit. Natsu draped a powerful arm around her possessively pulling her back into his embrace before his eyes were drenched weary, falling asleep to the scent of gardenias and with a tint of unconscious defiance.

* * *

What I hoped to portray in the last scene was consent.

I had one of my friends say, 'Hey, c'mon when you're agreeing to do something it means you're consenting to it.'

I felt the urge to hit him with a brick when I tried to explain that consent was with free will, agreeing to something doesn't always mean it's willing and he refused to take in the meaning.

Honestly, sometimes ignorance is not even bliss, it's simply atrocious.

Either way, we're closing in on this story and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. All of your reviews the last chapter were simply moving, I felt so encouraged and it meant the world to me.

Thank you so much, all the love from my heart to ya'all.

Take care, stay safe and quarantined and read fanfictions. Okay? See ya in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter four**_

_**-•-•-•-•-**_

Lucy didn't even try recalling the night, she had merely forgotten it as she always was willing to. Michelle asked her if she was alright but Lucy didn't respond. Because she was positive she wouldn't try to resort for something of that sort again should the need arise.

She skipped the next day of court purposely on the pretext of her buying materials for the shrine.

Not that Zeref could do much about it.

But if his brother's angry form was anything to go with, he certainly didn't appreciate the absence.

Zeref wondered about the relationship shared by his brother and the Priestess, albeit, not very common of its kind. The Priestess seemed to have met animals that she liked better than his brother and Natsu, on the other hand, would certainly find no pleasure better than breaking the Priestess.

And he was compelled to wonder.

Had they met a little differently in an alternate realm perhaps, they would get along better.

But in this life, they were sworn enemies who had daggers drawn at the other.

He had acknowledged although, the wit of the Priestess. Nobody could make Natsu Dragneel apologise let alone in open court.

His eyes went on the empty throne that was on his left side, adjacent to him but much lower when compared to his own.

What a peculiar woman indeed.

She reminded him of Mavis sometimes.

Lucy, on the other hand, was quiet far from the court and frequenting the markets to visit Yuri and his son who begged her pardon for embarrassing her the day before.

"It's alright," she said even if it quite was not.

"I owe you my son's life and my own, is there anything I could do to pay you back?" Yuri said, compassion reaching out to him. He had heard of what had occurred in the court because Makarov stole for him. He had lured his son into stealing, a crime he could not forgive himself for. Yet, it would seem that the Priestess had made him indebted to her but even he knew she wouldn't make any repayment of it.

"Perhaps, " Lucy said as curiosity had been seething in her mind. "Who is Mavis?"

Yuri stopped moving before looking at her. "Mavis Vermillion is a dear friend."

"The Palace Lady?"

He grimaced but nodded begrudged.

Lucy's sights fell upon the floor beneath them.

"She's trapped in the Eastern tower," she stated.

"I know."

"How?" She demanded.

"I used to work in the Palace long ago."

"Oh." Lucy said, "I see."

"Have you seen her?"

She shook her head negatively as Yuri collapsed back on the pillow.

"My Mavis came here to help only to be taken as some sort of prisoner at the end of it all. Do you think you could save her?"

Lucy swallowed hard, "Zeref is not half as territorial as his brother but he, he would certainly not let go of her, Yuri, your friend would probably be in the vicinity of the most outstanding Warriors Alvarez has seen."

Yuri's eyes closed in resentment, he sighed deeply as tears slipped out while he put an arm on his face, shielding it from the Priestess before she bowed her head in leave as she stood to her feet and walked to the exit of their house.

"So is it true what they say?"

Lucy turned around to look back at him.

"That you are to be High Duchess soon?"

The blonde's expression hardened at the mention of the title given to the wife of the Duke, brother of the Emperor. Was that what people were talking about now? Did they view has the future Duchess?

"No." She responded coldly.

"Funny because the rumours seem to have substance in them, Priestess." Yuri drew his attention to her hip. "Perhaps that's why you have that so close to you."

Lucy looked down at the purple vial strapped to her hip, it was a juice made of a fruit that prevented dehydration which Lucy had complained to Michelle about a few months ago. So exactly what was this man on about?

"What do you mean? This is meant for rejuvenating-"

Yuri snorted in derision. "I don't quite think so, Priestess."

Lucy raised a brow.

"I might hardly be a vendor but I recognise an_ Atocium_ potion when I see one, which makes me wonder how long can you get away from living in that Palace if you do not love him, my Priestess."

She looked at him with a strange look before walking out to her carriage and Yuri's words she couldn't forget as it echoed the in the chambers of her mind even when she reached the empty hallways, his words held meaning. How long would it be indeed before a more unpleasant situation was added into her life? Would she silently suffer then as well? Possibly.

Psychologically speaking it was easy to subjugate someone who was already subjugated.

The walls seemed to cave in on her, Lucy touched forehead as the fear rose in her blood, her air supply was cut off shortly as panic captured heart increasing its speed as she felt herself fall.

Fall right into the arms of the Devil himself.

The realisation struck her as she felt her hand holding unto Natsu's biceps, the drum of his heart against his chest, intimate things that should have been forgotten with the night before brimmed to the surface of her immediate memory. Lucy widened her eyes at the sensations a simple touch caused before she tore herself away from like she had been burnt.

Natsu inclined his head to her. "What on earth is wrong with you?"

"Do not," Lucy uttered, stepping back from him, "do not touch me."

He narrowed her eyes at him, stepping forward resulting in her taking a consequential step back and Lucy realised; she may never be able to escape him.

"Why?" Her voice came out as a shriek. "Why can't you let me go?"

"Because I don't wish to."

"Why?!"

Natsu looked at her knowing the answer was because he really couldn't. She was all he had, ever dreamed of even having, his only possession worth being his. "I. Do. Not. Wish. To."

"Even with the knowledge that you will never have me, truly?" She questioned, mortified that the answer would be the same as she had thought it to be.

"I do not care if it is true or not if it means that I will have you. You're mine to keep and hold and there is nothing you can do of it."

"Then you never shall." Lucy declared.

The look in Natsu's eyes darkened as his large hands reached out to her and she backed away immediately, retrieving her wrist to her chest.

"What a pity it is, I wonder how your father would have taken to the character you display presently."

That hit a nerve as Natsu emitted a low growl.

"Silence, woman."

"Oh, did I hurt your pride?" Lucy asked brows raised to disappear into her hairline.

"You know," she continued, "I used to think it could be attributed to your childhood but how could I dare forget?"

Lucy looked at him with a sardonic smile. "A beast wrapped in silk is a beast nonetheless."

Natsu let out a growl before pouncing on her, pressing his body against her flesh with the aim to suffocate her as his hand gripped her throat as the other bore down red angry marks on her arm while Lucy felt fear slip into her veins as she looked into his eyes, dark as the day he had burned down her village. She knew she had gone too far but no part of Lucy regretted the words that she declared.

It was the truth and God forbade it to be a sweet syrup.

He bent down and before Lucy knew she was thrown upon his shoulder.

"-Let me go!" She screamed as she thrashed about, stabbing his shoulder with her nails but Natsu didn't let her down while he marched to his lair.

"You cruel, _cruel _bastard! Let me go."

Natsu dropped her on his bed, his intentions ran clear with the dark dangerous chuckle.

Lucy violently revolted resisted every touch he laid upon her, she glared at him and screamed obscenities at him, kicking him before he subdued her with sheer brute strength. She left aggressive bite marks on his shoulders as she scratched against his chest. Tears flood her face in pink as he tore through her robes, keeping her in position to enforce his bidding on her.

When he had reduced her to be still like a slave, the room grew morbidly quiet.

Her eyes looked back at him in sheer defiance before a laugh broke through her throat, almost in pity. Natsu stared at her confused and confounded as her laugh instilled a chill in his own bones. What hell did she find so funny?

"You will get what you deserve." She promised darkly.

Natsu's jaw tightened as he stared at the woman who looked far from ruins, audaciously she stared at him with empty brown eyes.

"Fate and Time will betray you."

The Warrior simply left with a lasting glance upon her and about as soon as her left Michelle came rushing in.

"Priestess!" She called out, concern rich in her voice.

"Get me out of here, Michelle," Lucy begged.

"Yes, my Lady."

When they reached her quarters, Lucy fell on her bed exhausted and hurt. Chest heaving in pain that couldn't be contained in her heart and marks drowned on her skin as she tried to recall the oceans and the view of the sun creeping into the woods near where she was born, the loving smile of her mother aching as she felt her father's hand comb through her hair affectionately.

But nothing reached out to her. Nothing came to her rescue as pain gutted her down, snatching the breath away from her lungs.

"Shall I prepare a bath for you?" Michelle's voice came in like flowing rivers in summer.

"No." Lucy shook her head, knowing she had no energy to do so, "but you must answer something truthfully, Michelle."

"My Priestess?" The helper looked at her confused because what could matter above the state of her well-being at the moment.

"The vial that you make me drink every once a week for the purpose of rejuvenation, what does it contain?"

Michelle shivered as a rimy chill settled on her soul.

"My Priestess, whatever intentions I had were for your good-"

"-what does it contain, Michelle?" Lucy asked, fatigue reaching out to her as sweat glistened on her skin.

"The Atocium, Priestess."

Lucy swallowed a hard lump.

"And what does it do?"

"It's a type of birth control, my Priestess."

And any weariness Lucy had disappeared as her muddled brain took in the new information. "Birth control?" She repeated to be sure she had heard right.

Michelle broke down beside her as she fell to her knees next to her bed, holding Lucy's hand tight to her chest.

"Why would you do that, Michelle?" Lucy asked, trying to see logic among the quandary. She did understand that it was mostly because Michelle didn't want her pregnant with Natsu's child and she certainly didn't want to be either but the thought had never made a promising appearance in her mind to think about it.

Besides, Lucy was already taking birth control issued by the Palace.

And Michelle knew that, so just why this extra mile?

"My Priestess, being pregnant with a child gives the father complete right to the mother and child. In societal standards, it's seen as if you're already married and he only thing left is the formal celebration."

"I know that but you also know that I take birth control potions from the-"

"-Palace nurses?" Michelle drawled, rolling her eyes with emotion.

"Yes."

"Those potions are not even qualified to be birth control potions, my Priestess. They are weak as petals of a flower, my Lady."

Now Lucy felt a migraine coming onto her.

"I do not understand your meaning. Speak plainly."

Michelle sniffed before she composed herself.

"The potions the Palace nurses give you for birth control are influenced by the command of the Emperor. And at the beginning of this, I had a hunch that if Natsu Dragneel was hell-bent on making you stay here then there was only one way Emperor Zeref could fulfil the wish of his brother was-"

"-was getting me pregnant." Lucy completed, touching her forehead.

"So you would have been bound to his brother and the royal family by becoming a _part_ of them." She said slowly as she watched the blonde trying to make sense of the mishap that was done on purpose.

"Why does Zeref agree to this? Doesn't he think that the royal blood mixing with a commoner's is despicable?"

"I don't think the King's word on this matter is significant to his brother. He's completely invested in you."

And Lucy for the umpteenth time asked, "why?"

She was so tired of asking the same question over and over again without a well-defined answer.

Michelle licked her lips, that was quite a thoughtful question.

"Because," she continued, "maybe you represent everything he never had the courage to be, my Priestess."

Lucy's head shot up to her though she repented the action as it made her feel an acute pain in her head, she really should be sleeping.

"Where did you get the herb from?"

"I searched for it, read books about it and made it after talking to a traditional doctor of the ways of brewing the potion."

The blonde, in her sick state, smiled at her.

"It requires a lot of bravery to do that, Michelle," she reached her hand out to touch Michelle's cheek tenderly, oh what a dear person she was to Lucy, in some life they must have been sisters and Lucy might have been lucky enough to have her as so.

"You went against the direct order of the Emperor so for that I thank you."

"I would do it again in a heartbeat, my Priestess," Michelle said, not missing a beat.

Lucy felt sleep edging onto her eyes. "You must not though, after all, I'm hardly your Priestess."

"Risking your life for me would be quite detrimental to your life interests." She whispered, letting her hand fall.

"My life interests, Lucy?" Michelle asked as a teardrop travelled down to her chin.

"I would do it again not because you're my Priestess," Michelle said as Lucy's consciousness blurred her vision. "But because you're my only _friend_." was the last thing she heard before falling asleep.

-•-

It was a week later that Zeref found his brother on the doorstep of his room and surprise was hardly the word that could describe his stark astonishment.

"You don't regularly visit me, brother." He said amused at the person before him. "Not that I condemn this one but it's interesting to know that your sights are attached to someone other than the Priestess."

"Are you chewing me out? If so, I can leave." Natsu crossed his arms.

"There, there," Zeref said, placatingly. "I didn't mean any harm."

Natsu rolled his eyes before his gaze fell on the goblet of wine his brother had in his hand.

"Are you allowed to drink with the illness you have?"

"My illness, brother, has been extinguished by that medicine from Fiore." Zeref frowned at taking medicine from the not so friendly kingdom but it was what it was, he couldn't help his sickness any other way. "So there's not much to be worried about."

He raised a brow but shrugged as Natsu sat down on the chair.

"What's wrong Natsu? You don't come to me unless there's something eating your mind up."

"Do I?" He asked, looking up at the ceiling casually.

"Yes, clearly. there's something."

Natsu took a deep breath as he studied the arches in his brother's room, it had been Igneel's earlier so it reminded him of home a fair bit sometimes.

"Are we beasts, Zeref?"

The King arched both his brow as he examined his brother's state to be pensive.

"By the definition of most, yes, that's what we would seem."

"Are we evil?"

"I do not know for the meaning of evil shifts from one person to another." Zeref replied, sitting back as he looked at him. "Is something wrong, brother?"

Instead, he received only silence as the wheels turned in Natsu's head and the Emperor wondered if he was thinking about Lucy. It was the only time he ever saw his eyes grow deep in thought, an oddity for a Warrior with a thirst for blood and nothing else. But somehow, Lucy had crossed that line, she had personified into something more intimate to her brother.

"I'm going to marry her."

And that almost caused Zeref to drop his goblet with wine spilling in red, yanking him out of his thought process.

"Beg pardon?"

"The Priestess, brother, she's mine to keep," Natsu said, nothing betraying his face; he was dead serious and Zeref feared that.

"I don't think you will find her consensual to such an arrangement brother." mused the Emperor.

"She'll do as I say, I'm sure."

"And what brings about that confidence may I ask?" Zeref could honestly see no way where the Priestess would willingly bind herself in wedlock with his brother, it didn't make much sense to him their relationship either way.

"I could always threaten to kill someone she loves, like that maidservant Michelle or something creative but she was brought on earth to be my equal, brother. Letting her go is nowhere in my plans."

"You are obsessed with her."

"I don't care what you call it." He growled.

"And what if she does? Slip away somehow?"

"She wouldn't."

"Natsu," Zeref said neutrally, "there have been many intelligent people presented in court, Lucy has somehow been the cleverest of them all, had she been any more, she would rival Mavis _almost_."

His brother raised his brow fairly at the mention of the trapped blonde.

"The only point is"Zere continued ignoring the expression on his brother's face. "She's braver than Mavis and much bolder, I wouldn't put myself in a position to think that she will be as obedient as a puppet."

"She won't" Natsu affirmed, "but I'll have to tie her down with marriage before anything proceeds."

"Then you could do it on the night of the Celestial event in the beginning of the next month," suggested the Emperor with great thought.

"The meteor shower?"

"An event that forces the Priestess to accept whatever one wishes for, its tradition she will have to accept your proposal no matter what happens."

Natsu hummed in agreement, "Fair enough-"

"-My King!" a voice outside called out and Natsu vaguely registered it as Invel's, he came in with a flush as worry imprinted on his face.

"There has been an invasion in the southern prong of Alvarez."

"Again?" Zeref asked before looking at Natsu who seemed to have forgotten a small detail, "I thought you restored order there already."

"Yes," Natsu grimaced, "but maintaining it seems to have been quite the task for the Duke."

"Quite," Invel repeated, "the Duke has been murdered, they have proclaimed sovereignty from the Alvarez Empire. Your orders, my King?"

Zeref heaved in a deep breath.

"Release the red smoke," He said looking at Invel before turning to his brother, "And Natsu, have your Warriors ready, the capture of the southern side must not be later than a month."

"As you wish, my King." Both of them bowed and exited.

And as bizarre as it would seem, none of them noticed the fourth listener whose presence seemed a secret from their sights.

-•-

Levy was packing.

She looked at all the books she had been taking care of for the past several months and she had loved every moment of it but there was a path deep within Levy that refused to stay within Alvarez anymore.

The place she was born and called home had no longer seemed like it now.

Levy wouldn't be able to live as a moral human being if she continued pretending as if there was nothing wrong within the Palace walls.

She had made friends here, Dimaria and Milliana had been wonderful companions to her boredom but their silence was stifling to her. Perhaps she would write to them or perhaps she wouldn't but there was one particular friend she doubted she could forget.

Priestess Lucy had made a lasting impression.

And perhaps, the main reason Levy felt it was apt to resign from her position was because of her own helplessness. The inability of helping her friend from the people she had looked up to almost all her life.

She closed her travel sack that had only essential commodities within it.

"I was not aware you were leaving."

"Priestess?" Levy asked surprised at the sight of the blonde.

"Hello, Levy." Lucy said a radiant smile though a weaker glow contaminated it.

"I am sorry, my Priestess." She said, shuffling her feet to receive her. "But I do not find a place for me within these Palace walls anymore."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, I'm afraid."

Lucy sat upon the chair. "Well, that's a pity indeed, you were quite a good company, I'm sure your presence will be missed. So when is it that you leave?"

"The commoner's carriage leaves at dusk tomorrow."

"That is soon." Lucy said, endowing her eyes upon a collection of scrolls, "and where do you travel to?"

"Perhaps Fiore, I've heard the people there are nice."

"You do know that Alvarez relations with Fiore aren't very well since the invasion right? Why Fiore?" Lucy raised a brow.

Levy smiled nervously. "A change of scenery really."

"Then make sure you do not reveal your name or where you're from."

"Yes, I shall make do with that." Levy said before thoughtfully adding, "I hope to migrate there for life."

"So you don't intend to return for a visit?" Lucy asked and the blunette shook her head in response.

"I see." The Priestess said before narrowing her eyes. "Levy, if it is not too much to ask for, I require a favour from you."

"Anything, Priestess," Levy said and she really had meant it. Feeling helpless wasn't an ideal state to the blunette, she despised not being of any help in preventing the fate that had befallen her. Not only was such a fate unfair, but it had also been placed on the person who hadn't done one thing to deserve it.

"Would you please take Michelle with you?"

At the voice of the strange request, Levy furrowed her brows.

"I could, it wouldn't be much effort. But why, my Priestess? If I may ask so?"

Lucy looked down at the floor as she contemplated the conversation she had heard just before entering the library. Lucy had a bit of work with the Emperor for the celestial event of the meteor showers that occurred once in 600 years, the night before the event, she would generally address each and every soldier of Vistarion to bless them with strength and courage.

_Marry her, he said,_ over her dead body that would occur.

But Natsu was right, it was easy to force her into things, a fault that she had now recognized and refused to give way to

"I worry that she's not safe here."

Levy jerked her head up roughly at the woman before her.

"There's a danger to her life?"

"I reckon so, will you please take her?"

"I doubt she would leave your side, my Priestess."

"Not unless I order her to go with you but Levy, you must no reveal the purpose of your journey until you have reached, you will be given sufficient amount of gold and clothes to live a life in Fiore."

"Priestess," Levy asked dumbly so, "is there something wrong?"

"If it weren't already wrong from the beginning, levy."

The former Librarian looked at the woman before her and she almost retreated.

"So will you please do this for me, Levy?"

"Yes, my Priestess, I'll find an extra ticket and get the necessary arrangements."

"Thank you," Lucy said before looking up to Levy, "I hope your journey is well taken and so far as the stars can stretch, may they protect you with their light."

Levy bowed fully to the Priestess before she walked away and exited the library, Levy released a breath she didn't knew she was holding.

She felt an odd an unusual urge that something was coming.

She wasn't sure if it was good or bad but it was ubiquitous and would affect all those living in the Palace. Because Levy was certain, absolutely certain of what she had witnessed in Lucy just before she left.

There was a storm winding up in her eyes, a harbinger of mayhem that would shake the earth beneath the feet of every person within the Palace.

-•-

When the time came for Michelle to leave, Lucy smiled at her from her window. The helper wildly waved back having no knowledge that it was the last time she would ever see her Priestess again. Lucy had given a letter to Levy that was addressed to Michelle which would explain everything in detail but for now, a goodbye was enough for her.

She bit her lip as a bittersweet memory of friendship with Michelle throughout the years flashed by her.

"Priestess? We must go to the ceremony of sending off our soldiers." reminded one of her temporary helpers.

Lucy composed herself as she nodded, she had already worn her ceremonial robes and if Zeref even dared to call her forth to bless the soldiers, she would blatantly refuse. He didn't call onto her, Lucy wondered how long it would take for them to return as the Warriors, line by line disappeared from the Court and the session had been officially dismissed.

The blonde sighed as she somehow managed to escape the notice of her guards and maidservants, she needed some time alone as the mirrors caught her eye, reflecting pearly moonlit rays upon her.

She closed her eyes.

Some sort of peace but God forbid she even hoped for that.

"Hello, Lucy."

Alongside the pale moonlight which outlined his physique in a glow, Natsu leaned against the Palace wall as he regarded her in mixed fascination and something Lucy couldn't discern.

"What do you want?" She questioned. "Another of your sadistic fantasies of having sex in a place where anyone can walk in?"

"Getting lippy again are we?"

Natsu came closer as Lucy remained rooted to her place, she took a deep breath, preparing herself for what would come but found herself startled when he knelt to the ground before her. Her brows hauled themselves up as he brought forward her leg forward, he pushed her robes upwards as she stared at him, bewildered by his actions.

The Warrior draped a silver chain around her ankle.

"What the hell?" Lucy said, voicing out puzzlement at the jewellery before Natsu resumed to his original height, towering her with the softest look she had ever known. And it looked strange when it was upon him.

His hand touched the base of her neck, grazing his thumb over the space beneath her ear as a blanket of chills spread upon her heart.

"I could fall for you, you know."

Lucy kept silent.

"If I already haven't that is." Natsu pushed a tendril of her hair behind her hair and Lucy found it gravely disturbing that a man of his standing could be this charming if he tried.

"What do you want, Dragneel?"

He pulled her closer into an embrace, holding her like she was the only thing that kept him afloat in the face of rough seas yet it had tenderness embedded in ways she never knew existed in him. Natsu took in her scent before he dipped down to her neck, answering her question.

"In a word? You."

Lucy licked her lower lip before she closed her eyes.

"Why?"

"You could change me into a better man," Natsu said, lips touching the shell of her ear. "Wouldn't you want to try at least once, Lucy?"

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"I was lost."

"Even when you raped me?" She said, arching a nonchalant brow.

"I didn't mean to, Lucy." His hands combed through her hair silkily. "I would never want to hurt you."

She couldn't remember how long it was since she had come here since the fire, since the death of her parents and everything in between that boiled down to this very defining moment. Her history with Natsu Dragneel felt like she had outlived an entire dynasty.

Everything around them came tumbling down as he kissed her while she remained still, closing her eyes.

It was sweet and needy.

His tongue indulged in pressing against hers, massaging and coaxing it lightly, it melted some form of rationality within her. The heat climbing in was irresistible and Lucy wondered what would happen if she gave into it; become his.

No doubt he'd worship her and the ground she walked on. Protect her liked she was his life and perhaps she could even learn to - dare she utter it- love him.

Her head had even concocted a perfect alternate dream-like reality in which she could accept all his flaws unconditionally and then Lucy watched the mirrors of the hallway reflect light, just the way the waters had when the Fairy Sphere had come along.

And she knew like always did, the deception that fraught neath the surface of flesh and bone

She would be happy, no doubt she would; a fool's chance at joy.

Pity, really.

Because Lucy was no fool.

And this sorry attempt of trying to influence her had from the start been in the dumps. She knew him, she always did. And she knew what the face of a liar looked when he spoke words; exactly like a beast wrapped in silk.

Natsu pulled back from her almost content at the lack of resistance offered but it was covered by a mask of genuine hope; that he believed only Lucy could be his redemption.

She wondered though because Lucy could see the sparkling devilry in his eyes from kingdoms afar so just what made him so sure she wouldn't when he was this close?

"It's laughable," Lucy said before holding his arm as she let her fingers trail the scars on his arm. "How you can go from being a ruthless, vile criminal to a longing lover in a short span of time. I never knew you had the power to manipulate."

The hand in her hair tightened and he pulled away, the return of a sneer clear on his features as Lucy stared neutrally.

"I thought you'd bend if I spoke nicely, wrong on my part, wasn't I?" He asked, pushing her against the wall as Lucy laughed out loud, "Lucy Heartfilia, you were mine from the beginning of time and to your dying breath you will always return to me."

"No." Lucy simply said. "I have belonged to none but myself, I am the mistress of my soul and of that which will never belong to you."

Natsu let out a dry chuckle before loosening his grip over her, retrieving his hand back as he cupped her cheek with the roughness she knew he possessed.

"Only so long, Priestess."

He withdrew from her presence and continued turning to walk away before a bright smile upon Lucy's face attracted his attention, it was the kind she had given him when they first met before all that went down.

"You will see, my darling Warrior." She said as the glint of moonlight looked promising upon her.

"Fate and time will betray you."

Natsu's form hardened before growled at her and left her all alone in the corridor.

-•-

It was safe to say that Yuri Dreyar was taken aback when he was summoned to the Shrine of the Midnight Skies about a fortnight after the Alvarez soldiers had left for a battle.

He was brought forward in a carriage sent by Lucy which he gladly accepted because honestly, walking to a destination within the Palace walls would result in one reaching the place about several hours later.

"Priestess?" He called out after being let in by the maidservants and Lucy came out dressed in purple robes, she smiled at him in greeting.

"Hello, Yuri, my apologies if I intervened from your day's work." She said, a hint of sorry unspoken in the way she regarded him.

"No, absolutely not, Priestess. It's an honour to be summoned by you."

"Hardly," Lucy snorted, "but I would have come to you but we would not have any privacy, in my shrine, however, no one would dare to cross the threshold without my permission."

Yuri took in the statement as he pressed his lips together nervously. "You had something to tell me, Priestess?"

"I won't waste much of your time." She said, briefly. "I have found a way to save Mavis."

The latter statement made Yuri straighten his back inequivalence to a rod, "I beg your pardon."

"On the end of this week, there's the sighting of the Libran Scales, I'm sure you have heard of it." Lucy said, expecting him

"The meteor shower that brings great strength or misfortune?" He said, scrunching his nose as he wended his way through the information in his head; what did this have to do with Mavis?

"Depending on the rule of the present King that is especially since the Libran scales are taken as a substitute for justice given by the stars, the zodiac of Libra."

"It's called the tilt of the scales due to that reason as well," Lucy said. "It seeks to restore the balance of fate and time."

Yuri nodded at the piece of information which he committed to memory, he doubted he'd ever use it but then again who knew?

"But anyway, right before the night of this celestial event, I have to give an address to each and every soldier present on the Palace grounds a blessing, it's a small affair." She said, gesturing. "Takes about half an hour only but I reckon that would be enough a window for you to find the Easter tower's dungeons and move out of Vistarion, wouldn't it?"

Yuri juggled his brain winding through the particular details, technically it would be enough time to do so.

"Yes, yes, it would." He agreed before looking up at her, "but why would you go against the grain yourself?"

"Someone has to and it seems like I have my ends to meet as well," Lucy responded.

"But I will need to get into Palace for that." He pointed out the flaw that seemed to blare in his ears.

"Yes, the guards will let you come in because I have already informed them that you have a few pots that I had previously ordered."

"You seem to have thought this out," Yuri said, surprised and it caused her to giggle.

"When one is at a race for the survival of their life, you do what you can." She shrugged.

Yuri nodded at her, he knew what living like that meant.

"Now," Lucy said, clasping her hands together, "I can only help you until you get out of Palace walls, outside you're on your own. You have one chance at escaping Vistarion although I would suggest taking the rapid ships at Prembrain harbour to Fiore."

"I'll check the harbours out and any other suitable alternative."

"The moment Zeref knows, he'll do everything he can to get her back. Don't breathe until you've reached home. He has spies everywhere but I assume Mavis can take care of that if her reputation really precedes her."

"It does." Yuri said with a smile, "thank you so much, I could never find words-"

"-don't rejoice until you've met your sister, there's every chance this little plan might be a chance in hell."

"Still," The man said, "trying is sometimes enough. Especially for one with your social status."

Lucy's silence indicated that he should take his leave and as he did he heard her warning ring.

"Oh and Yuri?"

Yuri stopped.

"Do not ever return to Alvarez."

-•-

The night came with bitterness, cold air swirled in as moonlight began to enter in trickles.

The coldness into her bones as Mavis listened hard for footsteps, it had been eerily quiet on this particular night as the blonde reflected on her life. Mavis would always regret her decision to help Alvarez as a War Tactioner.

Ah, it was one of those nights.

Where tears would crawl her flesh until the morning light and beyond and all the warmth that would ever find her would be in her dreams where there were Yuri and Rita, the last time she had seen the latter was during her pregnancy, she could almost imagine the child having Yuri's hair and Rita's bright eyes.

A smile reached her face.

What happened next was so quick that Mavis hardly had time to blink.

It was an explosion and it blew away the bars in silence as the only sound heard was the steel bars stumbling down against carved stone.

"You know, I really should appreciate Precht on his alchemy abilities," a grin she knew too familiar smiled upon her. "These things are bloody amazing and so quiet."

It must have been a dream, there was no way Yuri Dreyar, her closest friend was standing in front of her within reaching distance.

Yuri pulled her into an embrace befitting of family, as he kissed her forehead.

"Holy God! Mavis, you know how to make your friends worry sick about you, don't you?"

This couldn't have been real.

But it felt so true.

No dream could actually bear this close likeness to Yuri, Mavis found herself hugging him close to her heart,a tingle of warmth that eradicated all the cold nights that had been spent in this cold, shallow prison.

"I missed you." She muffled against the fabrics of his shirt, tears wetting them instantly.

"I did too," her friend smiled dearly too. Years of agony bore down to this and Yuri couldn't wait to take her home but Lucy's words came as a reminder and he pulled away from her.

"But we need to leave, we don't have much time, I'll explain everything as we go but for now we need to get the hell out of here."

They reached outside and if Yuri had to be the right judge of it all then it would take about twenty minutes more for the guards to come back, five minutes for them to realise what has happened and another ten to mobilise into action. By that time frame, they would have long reached the ship and left shores.

"Yuri, stop," Mavis said softly before looking up to a low balcony, "can we spare five minutes?"

They could but it thoroughly depended on what it was for.

"What for?"

"That balcony, I _just_ know, it's of Prince August." She said, her voice almost pleading.

Yuri stiffened at the name before his face screwed itself in dislike. "Mavis, you cannot be serious."

"He was snatched away from me on the day he was born, the _very_ second," She begged, clasping his arm tightly. "Please, just once let me see my son."

Yuri gnashed his teeth. There was no assurance that there may not be protection for the Prince, they could easily get caught but he doubted very much that Mavis would ever forgive him if they got out of here. Especially, since they could never hope to return.

"Alright but five minutes is all and I'm coming with you." He bartered which she gladly took, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

He kept his dagger close as they climbed up the balcony, Yuri more than Mavis since her feet were hardly accustomed to climbing so soon. They treaded on light feet inside the room which had no soldiers nor maidservants. The Prince seemed quietly tucked in his bed as hushed snores confirmed he was asleep, there wasn't anyone in the room but Yuri wasn't sure for how long before he let Mavis in.

The shorter blonde stepped closer to the cot.

"My August." She cooed as her hand touched his cheeks gently. The child seemed in deep slumber but outwardly he leaned closer to his mother's touch.

Mavis gripped a hand close to her mouth to prevent her from crying out evidently as the sight stifled the air out of Yuri's lungs. He watched tears travel down Mavis' chin in raw, turgid emotion and at that moment, he wished he had murdered Zeref the chance he had got.

"My darling August." She whispered to him, a pang of envy that she couldn't watch him grow stabbed her heart. This bed of purity which was unharmed reflected her own self which she had possessed years ago. Oh, she had let him know even if the child was asleep.

"I love you with every light in my heart, you will be a good king, I know you will." She sputtered out, knees almost caving in due to unfairness of it all. "You will do what is right by his people, right by his morals, won't you my love?"

"Mavis." Yuri's voice came as a piercing reminder.

She removed the locket around her neck before putting it around the neck of the seemingly asleep child.

"Let this locket remind you of how deeply I love you in spite of your father's treachery." She kissed his forehead in affection as few tears slipped past, "I would never forgo one moment I spent with you in my womb. Never."

"Until we meet, I will pray for you, my love." She let her forehead touch her child's tenderly.

Mavis tore herself away from the child and looked at him for one last time before they strode to the balcony in haste as they slipped off, Yuri had taken a spare look behind to make sure that the guards weren't back yet but was startled to catch a glance of a tiny figure on the balcony.

"Goodbye, mother." it mouthed and Yuri's eyes grew wide.

When the mayhem in the Palace broke, Zeref was crestfallen. He demanded that all guards combine their forces to find her no matter the cost but Mavis and Yuri with his child were already at sea and within another hour, the rapid boats would finish crossing neutral territories into the waters of Fiore. But the Emperor would not stop, he gripped his hair and screamed in agony, barking orders about how she _must_ be found, how she must be brought _back_ to him, it took a severely advanced tranquiliser to put him to sleep.

Yet, in all the chaos no one had noticed the Priestess slipping out of Palace walls in the clothes of a commoner.

-•-

Lucy sat in the carriage meant for civilians, she had no robes of the royal, no brassard adorning her arm, no title upon her head.

And this was the truest she had felt in years.

She didn't know where she was going but it was going to be most likely in Ishgar, staying any longer in Alvarez would mean a death sentence to her. Perhaps, the kingdom of Stella? Who knew, the inevitability of it made it feel real, made her freedom feel real.

"And where do you hail from, madam?" The person sitting next to her said, she was an old lady and had been travelling to see her grandson.

Lucy smiled under her cloak. "A very distinct part of Eastern Vistarion."

"That so? I have never been to it, tell me, have you been to the Palace anytime?" She said, enlivened with wide eyes staring at Lucy.

The blonde thought about it before she replied, "only from the outside."

"Oh then, have you seen the Emperor or his brother?" The old biddy asked, excited to consolidate any information.

"No, I have not." Lucy smiled, patiently.

"Oh," the woman replied, disappointment dripping out of her voice.

"I have seen the Priestess of the Midnight Skies, can anyone in this carriage claim as such?" A man asserted proudly, drawing staggering gasps and jolted exclamations from everyone in the carriage as Lucy simply giggled lightly.

"Oh, and how does the Priestess seem? Is she beautiful-

"-is she lovely-"

-is she witty? Has she given her heart to any yet?"

The man, pleased with the attention he had, grinned with satisfaction as he nodded eagerly at their thrilling expressions.

"Yes, I met her only once when she was blessing the soldiers for a battle, my son was there. Upon my word, the Priestess seems like a Goddess who has graced us with her presence." He stated, proudly and Lucy simply rose brow wondering which Warrior's father was he.

"Oh, and I heard that all soldiers came back almost as if they were protected by an invisible shield." said another with exhilaration dancing in his eyes, it earned another display of shock.

"Ah, if only I could espy upon her once, I would die a happy woman." Another woman voiced out with wishful thinking playing on her eyes.

"Truly so." All of them agreed.

Lucy raised a brow, pity, really had she been listening to this conversation in any other means, she would've let them in on a glance. But she wasn't and that's how providence had intended it to be.

"Oh you could, tomorrow night, it is the night of the Libran Scales."

She turned her face to the little speck of air coming in from a small gap that had been made for ventilation. Lucy used it to see how fast they were going and it seemed like her plan had worked perfectly right.

Lucy knew that there was going to be an intense need for a distraction for her to escape the guards, they most likely wouldn't notice her absence until early hours of the morning when they would come to wake her up for the preparations and by then it would simply be too late.

Still, she found a cold wrapping around her heart and Lucy knew she would have to acknowledge it sooner or later before she started a new life somewhere nice.

Natsu and her relationship had been tumultuous, to say the least. He had disregarded her consent, had raped her, was quite literally her worst nightmare in corporeal form and she would admit it was pathetic to still care for him.

But then Lucy would care for a War criminal just as much.

She had now understood that the mercy of her heart can and will be used against her wishes so she must protect it. She felt a heaviness in her heart being unloaded as if she had been fighting a war and had just returned home. Though things would never be the same again, Lucy would finally have a chance at being happy.

One that did not involve giving fake smiles and pleasantries.

Distantly, she wondered if Yuri and Mavis had made it. Lucy had never met the latter but if August was anything to by, she knew the woman had a beautiful heart, her thoughts travelled to Michelle, she hoped her dear sister would fare well along with Levy.

The carriage momentarily stopped though she attributed it to some form of checking that was done at the borders but it seemed as if God still wished to take another trial of her will.

"Oh, would you look at them?" The old biddy said, delightedly.

"How marvellous they are, Aunt Zeralda!" Someone sitting beside her grinned. "Our beloved Warriors coming back from such a bloodbath."

Lucy breath hitched in her throat as the windows were open so the passengers could see their country's soldiers travelling on horses. Some of them waved back as the blonde slyly pulled her veil even closer under the cloak with only one question;

_Was he there?_

She raised her head to peep outside the window and a few Warriors seemed to be waving back at the carriage, she recognised a few of them like Ajeel and Jason with his brother Jeremy and then her heart stopped.

At the beginning of the group, he led his squad of Warriors.

"That is Natsu Dragneel." The old biddy pointed wildly at the man as Lucy nodded pliantly.

"Doesn't he look dashing?"

Lucy looked at him with a forlorn expression shadowing her eyes. "He does."

She watched him get off his horse, standing on the firm ground, tall and strong. Lucy could feel his presence as if it were wild embers from a crackling fire and she wondered if he felt the same. That sort of attachment had been imbued in both of them or at least her now it would seem.

She sat back properly on her seat as she waited for the passing of judgement.

As if based on some hidden ingraining, Natsu's eyes flickered over to the carriage with a raw urge to _just go _towards it, he left a lingering gaze upon it before nodding at the man responsible for the commoner's carriage in approval.

Lucy turned her head again to watch him and was surprised to see him looking at the carriage like it was asking him to do something.

For a moment, she wondered, would he stop her? Or better yet, would he find her? Would the entirety of the universe allow him to?

In a rush came the clouds stretching to hide moonlight that left the carriage and its surroundings in darkness, the light of the stars in rightful deceit led their lights to the Palace which now shone with bluffing rays of the moon.

On cue, Natsu narrowed his eyes at it before turning his face, commanding his Warriors to carry on as he continued riding the horse early into the city borders and Lucy simply knew it was for her.

He was in a hurry to go back to _her_ while she escaped in this carriage.

It made Lucy laugh ironically at how twisted the situation had turned out to be. Her foretold predicament came true in its most veracious form and Lucy almost felt pity surge her heart.

_Fate and time will betray you._

And they did indeed.

When they had reached the borders of Ishgar the old biddy turned to her cloaked companion only to find her seat empty.

"Oh, Aunt Zeralda, the girl left just now."

She frowned, she hadn't even got the mysterious girl's name, the one with blonde hair spilt across her shoulders and tint of defiance in the way she held herself. Quite like a Celestial Goddess and it was a funny thing that she felt the comparison match.

The old looked out, hoping to find her to establish contact after all they had travelled together.

But it had seemed as if the girl had vanished into thin air.

Wearing the most common threads of freedom.

Swept away by the waves of fate and time.

_**The End.**_

* * *

Phew! That was something. Y'all this was supposed to be a one-shot before the more sane side of me argue, _Cale for god's sake you can't publish a one-shot with like 30k words and call it a short story, that's full-fledged novel._

So tell me, was it rushed? Was it expected? I'm literally at the edge of my seat, wanting to know how it feels. This story properly scarred me and I fear I might not be the same as I was when I began writing this. But then, that's the life of a writer, mate.

Now, the reason I had specifically requested your presence as an audience to this story was that it's one that gave me hope and I wished that I anyone felt the same, this story would someday give them hope. Hope to take a stand and protect their heart from mind-boggling manipulation, especially at that part where Natsu promises to change.

But we, because we're viewing this story from a third perspective, knew that it's not sincere.

Lucy knew, she just got lucky that way.

But if you or I were Lucy, I can bet my money that we'd probably give the person a second chance to redeem themselves.

When someone hurts us, it's a very common thing for our hearts to say- But everybody deserves a second chance and what most of us don't realise is the fact that while Everybody does deserve a second chance, they are by no means entitled to it.

Oh wow, that's a long Author's note but if you read it, I thank you for patience and effort to be here at this moment. Thank you for being here, I hope the ending pleased you and I doubt there's any scope for an epilogue but I guess wishful thinking maybe entertained once in a while.

ALSO GUYS STAY AT HOME. NOT GOOD TIMES. DO YOUR PART BY STAYING AT HOME.

Yeah, I should go.

Hope ya'all stay safe, ta ta.


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